World Cup '14: Number Four for Germany

FIFA World Cup 2014 logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In spite of the protests, the bloated budgets for stadiums (and the political fallout that might result), and the failure of its team to win at home, Brazil did well as hosts of the 2014 FIFA Men's World Cup.

Everyone seems to agree that the right team--Germany--won soccer's world championship this time.  Mario Goetze scored the only goal in the finals late in extra time to giver his country a 1-0 victory over Argentina.  Not only was this Germany's fourth World Cup title, but the first since East and West were reunited.  It was also the first time a European team has won this tournament in the Americas.

Earlier, Germany stunned the world with their 7-1 pasting of Brazil in the semifinals, plunging that country into mourning.  The loss of Neymar, the Brazilians' best player, was a contributing factor.  But nobody expected a collapse like this, a situation compounded by their getting shut out in the third-place game by the Netherlands.

As the soccer world looks toward Russia in 2018, ESPN will be handing off its World Cup TV coverage after two decades to Fox.  This has been causing a lot of nervousness among American soccer fans, because ESPN had finally started taking the sport seriously.  For one thing, they replaced novice American announcers with more seasoned British commentators such as Ian Darke and Derek Rae.  This approach, along with the United States team being more competitive, has resulted in the highest TV ratings soccer has seen in this country.

The problem lies with what Fox might do with its World Cup coverage, starting with the women's tournament in 2015.  Would they follow ESPN's lead and treat the sport and its viewers with respect, or would they just dumb it down with animated robots and the "NFL on Fox" theme--just like they do with everything else?  (We can't wait to see how they'll do golf's U.S. Open starting next year.)

One sign that Fox might pander to the lowest-common denominator is the inclusion of Gus Johnson as its lead soccer voice.  Much better known for covering football and basketball in a style that suggests he should be calling NHL hockey instead, Johnson has not gotten high marks from soccer fans in the matches he's done so far.

It's true that soccer in the U.S. needs its own Al Michaels, Marv Albert, Vin Scully and Mike Emrick.  Ian Darke and Derek Rae have come the closest to achieving this level.  But Fox believes Johnson is the future.  Is he that guy?  We don't know.

One thing we do know:  Soccer is a sport that can unify a nation in victory.  It can also break your heart.  Just ask Germany.  Or Brazil.

The Decision II: Back to Cleveland

English: LEbrick banGS playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers Español: LeBron James con los Cavaliers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The King of the NBA has spoken.  He's taking his talents back to the shores of Lake Erie.

LeBron James, instead of another drawn-out TV special, chose to make his plan known via Sports Illustrated's website.  After four years on South Beach and winning two of the last four NBA championships for the Miami Heat, James announced he's returning home to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers next season.

Imagine that.  No more speculating on ESPN and elsewhere on where James would turn up next, which has dominated basketball for the past year or so.  No more logjams among NBA free agents such as Carmelo Anthony, who have been on pins and needles waiting for LeBron to make up his mind.  And no more "Big Three" in Miami, though Chris Bosh is reportedly sticking with the Heat.

Does this also mean the end of the Kevin Love trade rumors?  The Cavaliers appear to be interested in taking Love off of the Minnesota Timberwolves' hands, and Love appears interested so long as James is in the picture.  The main stumbling block is whether or not the Cavs want to part with Andrew Wiggins, the number one pick in the recent NBA draft.

LeBron's decision puts the Cavaliers in the category of contending for the NBA title.  However, James would be working with a much younger cast than he did in Miami, when he had Bosh and Dwyane Wade to lean on.  Whether Love comes to Cleveland or not, James would have Wiggins and Kyrie Irving (who had been holding down the fort while James was in Miami) in his backcourt.

Akron, Ohio is where LeBron James hails from, and the nearby Cavaliers was his first NBA team.  Yet he left it all for the bright lights and bigger bucks of Miami, where he did very well for himself.  Now James says it's all about coming home.  How's Cleveland supposed to feel, having been jilted once?

In the SI essay, James said that just because he's back with the Cavs, the fans shouldn't expect a championship.  At least not right away.  It's been 50 years since a Cleveland team won a professional sports title, when the original Browns won the NFL championship in the pre-Super Bowl year of 1964.  Even LeBron tried and failed to bring an NBA championship to his hometown, with the San Antonio Spurs sweeping the Cavs in the 2007 NBA Finals.

A famous author once said that you can't go home again.  LeBron James will be testing that theory for the next few years.  Can he be the one who finally breaks the Curse of Cleveland?

World Cup '14: America Is Not a Soccer Power. Yet.

Soccerball with USA flag (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At the halfway point of the 2014 FIFA Men's World Cup, teams vying for soccer (or football, if you prefer) supremacy have been whittled down to eight.  The expected teams are still here:  host country Brazil, Argentina, Germany and the Netherlands.  Some left unexpectedly:  England, Spain, Mexico and Italy.  The major underdog in this bunch?  Costa Rica.

Other than Luis Suarez of Uruguay getting suspended by FIFA for four months for allegedly taking a bite out of an opponent, reports of members of the Cameroon squad allegedly throwing matches, and demonstrations in Brazilian cities questioning the wisdom of their government in building so many potentially useless stadiums, it's been a quiet World Cup so far.

The United States side was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Belgium, who scored two goals in extra time to move on to the quarterfinals.  It was a surprise that the Americans made it this far, considering how goalkeeper Tim Howard almost single-handedly saved their rear ends while the offense sputtered, and the defense failed to get the ball out of their own zone.

The U.S. beat Ghana in the opening round, then tied Uruguay when they lost their lead with seconds left, and then were shut out by Germany.  But the Americans still had more goals in that round than either Ghana or Uruguay, so they got out of the "Group of Death", whether they deserved it or not.

Granted, the United States is nowhere near ready to contend for the World Cup.  Even coach Jurgen Klinsmann has admitted as much.  It is also folly to suggest that, because of record TV ratings on ESPN and Univision, soccer has arrived as a major sport in America.  It just means that Olympics-style jingoism is alive and well.

Millions of kids play soccer growing up because their parents feel better about not paying for expensive equipment, and because they believe the risk of injury is minimal.  Just a ball, shorts, and the ability to kick for long distances is all that's necessary.  However, there is a concussion risk if you head the ball or crash into your opponent--that is, unless youth leagues, high schools and colleges start requiring helmets and other safety equipment.

Once they grow up, though, most kids abandon soccer in favor of other sports.  Watching soccer is not the same as playing it, because Americans won't sit through scoreless ties with hardly any action.  If they did, Major League Soccer would be packing them in at NFL stadiums instead of dinky little "soccer-specific" parks.

Speaking of MLS, the two groups that want to bring a franchise to the Twin Cities had better take another look at the TV ratings.  While cities with MLS teams (and some who don't) have posted gains in viewership. Minneapolis and St. Paul seem to be lagging toward the bottom of the ratings.  Does this mean that Minnesotans aren't all that interested in the World Cup, and that an MLS team would be a waste of time and money?  Or does it mean that having a pro team would have greatly accelerated interest?

Soccer in the United States, it's been said, is the game of the future.  And it's been that way for decades.  Not to dismiss the efforts of the women's soccer team, who won their own World Cup in 1999 and have been contenders ever since, but if the sport is to attain major status in this country, the men's team has to win a world championship.  That could happen in the next 10-20 years, if things fall right. Only then will people say that for American soccer, the future isn't what it used to be.

The San Antonio Spurs' Last Roundup?

Spurs logo 2002–present (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Over the course of 18 seasons, Greg Popovich has coached the San Antonio Spurs to four NBA titles (1999, 2003, '05 and '07) with the same basic cast of players from around the world, including Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.  They just added a fifth, defeating the Miami Heat in five games and avenging their finals loss of a year earlier.

The Spurs won Game 5 Sunday night 104-87 at AT&T Center in San Antonio.  Kawhi Leonard, who won the award for most valuable player in the playoffs, scored 22 points with ten rebounds.  LeBron James led the Heat offense with 31 points and ten rebounds.

The tone was pretty much set in Game One, which was played with the air conditioning inside the Spurs' arena broken.  Miami had the lead, but James left the game in the second half with cramps in his leg.  The Spurs ended up winning the game, and the Heat never really recovered.  It could also be argued that James was the offense for Miami during the series, and all his teammates did was stand and watch.

The Spurs, with the best record in the NBA this season at 62 wins, dominated a tough Western Conference.  In the playoffs, they got past the Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder (in that order) to get to the finals.

The Heat kind of coasted through a weak Eastern Conference, feeling confident enough to give up the top seed to the Indiana Pacers.  They went through the Charlotte Bobcats and Brooklyn Nets before dispatching the Pacers in the conference finals.

Over the off season, Miami's Big Three--LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh--have some decisions to make.  Should they stick with the Heat and possibly add some talent (maybe Carmelo Anthony, if the scuttlebutt can be believed), or should they take their talents elsewhere?  The balance of power in the NBA might depend on the answer.

As for the Spurs, nearly two decades of excellence could be on the line.  It is not known how long Popovich, who's a man of few words to TV sideline reporters, will continue coaching.  Duncan, Ginobili and Parker, among others, might decide to call it a career.  Whatever happens, the good folks of San Antonio, Texas might do well to enjoy the championship team they have now.

Stanley Cup Goes Hollywood, Again

Los Angeles Kings (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Los Angeles Kings are the NHL Stanley Cup champions for the second time in three years, needing two overtime periods to defeat the New York Rangers 3-2 Friday at the Staples Center to take their series in five games.  Alex Martinez scored the winner with nearly six minutes to go in the second overtime.  After the game, the Conn Smythe trophy for playoff MVP went to the Kings' Justin Williams.

The Kings would never have gotten here if the San Jose Sharks, who had a 3-0 lead in the opening round of the playoffs, had won one more game.  They didn't do that, and the Kings won the next four.  LA then went on to beat the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks in the next rounds.  They had plenty of help from goaltender Jonathan Quick and goal scorers Martinez, Williams, Marion Gaborik and Willie Mitchell.

(If you are a Rangers, Minnesota Wild or Columbus Blue Jacket fan, how galling it must be for Gaborik to win the Cup and your team didn't.)

The Rangers made it this far thanks to the big pads and stick of goaltender Henrik Lundquist and goal scorer Martin St. Louis.  Their road went through the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens.  Still, the Rangers have not won the Cup since 1994, and the Madison Square Garden faithful will keep reminding them of that fact until they do win one.

So the Stanley Cup will be chilling on the beaches of Southern California for a second summer.  Also for a second summer, there are reports that the Kings are about to be put up for sale by its owner AEG.  If it ever happens, the sale should go a lot smoother than that other Staples Center tenant, the NBA Los Angeles Clippers.  No need to go into why right now.

But the Los Angeles Kings, while they weren't the most dominant team in the NHL this past season, have proven that the Western Conference is where the best hockey is being played right now.  The Kings and Blackhawks having won four of the last five Stanley Cups is proof enough of that.

World Cup Soccer: The Not-So-Beautiful Game

Foto da minha viagem de helicóptero pelo Rio. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From the jungles of the Amazon to the clothes-optional beaches of Rio de Janeiro, everyone in Brazil is waiting with bated breath as the 2014 FIFA Men's World Cup begins.  Because, in the land of Pele, they've had several years to prepare for this and the 2016 Summer Olympics.  From what we're hearing, they're still not ready.

What will greet visitors and a worldwide TV audience are the unfinished stadiums (nothing says unfinished like uninstalled toilets), the possible violence and political unrest, because the government in Brazil was apparently too slow and corrupt to deal with the challenges that came with hosting such an event.

Brazil, being the world soccer power that they've been for decades, is considered the favorite to win this year's Cup.  That's what people thought back in 1950, the last time the Brazilians hosted this tournament, before Uruguay walked off with the trophy.   Should that happen again . . .well, you don't want to know what's going to happen.

As for the United States men's soccer team (also known as USMNT, which sounds like an old Lucky Strike cigarette ad if you say it a few times), coach Jurgen Klinsmann is charged with leading them to respectability and nothing more.  Klinsmann hasn't made many friends doing it, having bounced Landon Donovan (its best-known player) from the team, and suggesting that the U.S. has no shot at winning the World Cup.  It may not be politically correct, but Klinsmann is just stating the obvious for a soccer-indifferent nation.   Oh, and they also happen to play in the so-called "Group of Death" in the first round, facing Germany, Ghana and Portugal.

For FIFA, the governing body that runs the World Cup, Brazil is only the beginning.  In 2018, the tournament goes to Russia, where Vladimir Putin's land grab in Ukraine is a sore spot.  In 2022, it goes to Qatar. 

Most soccer observers believe putting the World Cup in Qatar, a country based near the Persian Gulf, in the middle of summer is a recipe for disaster.  Temperatures hovering near the top end of the thermometer could be dangerous for players and spectators, meaning many matches would have to be be played late at night and early in the morning.  There have also been reports of alleged bribery involving FIFA and Qatar officials, which might have influenced the vote in awarding the World Cup to that country.  Efforts to move the tournament out of Qatar have so far been unsuccessful.

So that's how it is prior to one of the biggest sporting events in the world.  With any luck, what goes on the field during the next month should overshadow anything that occurs off of it.

Is Horse Racing Fading Down The Stretch?

horse racing (Photo credit: micheleart)

It's been 36 years since horse racing has had someone of the equine persuasion win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes--three of the sport's biggest races--in the same year.  California Chrome will attempt to become the 12th horse to do that Saturday at the Belmont in New York.

A brief history of the Triple Crown from the mid-20th century to today:  In the 1940s, four horses--Whirlaway in '41, Count Fleet in '43, Assault in '46 and Citation in '48--accomplished this feat.  A quarter century passed before Secretariat completed horse racing's hat trick in 1973, to be followed by Seattle Slew ('77) and Affirmed ('78).

Then it was nothing, zip, nada for the last three and a half decades.  That doesn't mean there hasn't been horses who have gone two-thirds of the way, but for some reason never got it done at the Belmont.  Maybe it's the length of the track, which is a mile and a half, the longest of all the Triple Crown races.  Maybe the owner or trainer decided to pull him from the race.  Or maybe some other horse had a better day.

Horse racing has changed a lot in the past 36 years.  What was once the Sport of Kings has devolved into something less than that as more states allowed pari-mutuel betting and other forms of gambling (thereby limiting the need to book a trip to Las Vegas or Atlantic City), tracks going bankrupt, and attendance and TV ratings decline.

Drug scandals have also taken its toll, with some state racing associations issuing rules that prohibit horses and jockeys who have certain types of performance-enhancing substances in their system from competing.  Sometimes they border on the ridiculous.  California Chrome would not be racing in the Belmont if the New York Racing Association hadn't rescinded its ban on nose strips, the kind you and I would use to breathe better at night.

Whether California Chrome (or any future horse) wins the Triple Crown or not, the horse racing industry can't count on it to reverse its decline.  Perhaps we're become more enlightened about horses and what they're put through to make it in racing, but it's still something to watch them perform at their best.  Perhaps we've also become sensitive to those who bet their life savings again and again at the track, only to lose them again and again, creating heartache for family and friends.  Or maybe there's just too many other things competing for our attention.  Whatever it is, horse racing is fast becoming a losing bet.

UPDATE (6/5):  The wait continues.  California Chrome finished out of the money at the 146th Belmont Stakes, tied for fourth behind the winning horse named Tonalist.  Well, maybe next year.

UPDATE (6/7/15):  Next year just happened.  American Pharoah became the first Triple Crown winner of this century, and the first since Affirmed in 1978.  He was the only horse to compete in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes this year--and won all three.  Now all that's left is to retire to stud.  American Pharoah won't save the horse racing industry like a lot of people hoped, but at least he's brought it some attention.