Costa Rica's New National Stadium

- Jason Davis

Costa Rica's new national athletics and soccer stadium, generously financed by the Chinese government (?!?), is set to open next month. The Costa Rica National Team will face Argentina on March 29th, then a concert by Shakira will close the grand opening festivities. The 35,000 seat venue, built at a cost of $105 million, will replace Estadio Saprissa as the largest in the country.


Thanks to Matt at US Soccer Daily for posting a link to photos of the building, which looks spectacular.


Check out the brilliant photos here.


Surely this means the end of Saprissa as a den of horrors for the United States, though I suppose it's possible Costa Rica could still choose to hold games there. Considering the quality of the artificial surface at Saprissa, I wonder if FIFA allow them to strategically schedule games there when an alternative, natural surface venue is available. Hmm.


Most notable about the new stadium is how far the athletics track pushes the stands back from the field. Part of the power of Saprissa was the proximity of the rabid Ticos faithful to the action and therefore the opposing players. Saprissa was intimidating, hence the the nickname "The Monster's Cave." The new national stadium looks like it will be a pussy cat in comparison. That's not to say I think winning in Costa Rica will ever be "easy."

Estadio Saprissa

The new CONCACAF qualifying format means the US will never get another crack at winning their first meaningful game at Azteca. The opening of a new national stadium in Costa Rica means the same for winning at Saprissa, though the USMNT will probably face the Ticos in qualifying in the future.


The former I lament. The latter, not so much. Good riddance (I hope) to Estadio Saprissa.


--

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In Honor of Tadanari Lee, A History of International Championship Winning Goals

Filed under: FIFA World Cup, International Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

Liverpool fans burned a Fernando Torres jersey on Monday night, furious that the striker their club pried from his hometown team in Madrid for tens of millions of pounds left Merseyside after three-plus seasons for Chelsea's tens of millions of pounds.

Torres probably didn't grow up dreaming of playing for the Reds or the Blues. His favorite team was Atlético, and he played at his boyhood club for a dozen years. Those ties were loosened only when Rafael Benítez came calling in 2007.

Liverpool fans may be angry, but Torres was never really theirs to begin with.

The final day of the European transfer window was yet another reminder that club soccer is a business first. Players are motivated largely by the trappings of the pro game -- the money, the titles, endorsements and prestige. That's not a criticism. It's the nature of the beast.

 

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LOOKING FOR LOVE AT MLS CUP
Ratings for MLS Cup plunged 44 percent from last year and grabbed just 748,000 viewers, a near record low. It’s almost as if ESPN knew what was coming–the game, the crowd, the referee, the weather, the ratings. Why else would they not promo the game during their international friendly double-header [...]

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Puck Daddy Hockey Rumors Live Chat

Hockey Christmas arrives on Monday. But the deadline has been more like Hockey Hanukkah, spreading out over several days. Who stays? Who goes?

Please join us beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT today for our weekly chat that includes a revolving door of panelists like Lyle "Spector" Richardson of Fox Sports; David "Dave" Pagnotta of The Fourth Period Magazine; as well as your friendly neighborhood knuckleheads from Yahoo! Sports, Puck Daddy and Buzzing The Net.

You bring the funny; we bring the abrupt changes in tone and Hamburger Women. That's how it works.

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Willing the Champions League to Relevancy

- Jason Davis

Within the American soccer bubble, the CONCACAF Champions League is a pretty big deal. Or rather, the idea that an MLS team needs to win the title in said lead is a pretty big deal. Don Garber talks about it constantly. American soccer fans, no matter which MLS team they support, bemoan the league's lack of success. Columnists, writers, blogger, et. al. regularly put down the league using its failure in the Champions League as a means to that end. Soccer people care.


Other people don't - within "other people" I include casual soccer fans (yes, they exist) and general sports fans who don't actively pursue soccer but accept it as part of their mishmash sports consumption lifestyle (these are the people that absorb SportsCenter like a sponge, but don't generally search out news and opinion on any particular sport). While we all work ourselves up to the Champions League Crew-RSL showdown tonight, Steve Davis decided to dish out a rather heavy-handedly smack down of the idea that the CCL means anything. It doesn't he says, in part because it won't affect things like ticket sales or TV contracts.


The point, I guess, is that we inside the bubble can't will the Champions League (North American version) into mattering just because we desperately want it to. The narrow band of people who care are powerless to give the tournament any more weight than its history and prestige allow. Unfortunately, there's not much history, and there's scant prestige. Not only have Mexican clubs dominated, their best clubs have the much, much, bigger Copa Libertadores to aim for. That fact alone sucks out most of the prestige. That CONCACAF has been an incomplete (prior to MLS) or poorly run confederation for years and decades means there is no real history. That sense of importance that time conveys can't be wished into existence.


No one cares but soccer geeks in Utah and Ohio and bloggers like me. One of the MLS participants winning the title won't magically turn the league "legitimate" or suddenly convince the rest of the soccer world that MLS is a big-time competition. An appearance at the Club World Cup during the American off-season, wouldn't be much more than a curiosity.


Still, I'm not sure we shouldn't treat the Champions League as ultra-important even if it's really not (yet).


Only time, and a lot of it, can give the Champions League resonance beyond the bubble. That means we either sit on our hands (and I include MLS itself here) waiting for the day to come when the CCL actually matters, or we do our best to instill it with whatever artificial importance we can manage. I suspect for most of us, it's about clearing a hurdle rather than achieving something momentous. We give this tournament weight disproportionate with its status in the general sports realm because an MLS side winning represents the next logical step in the ascendancy of the league. That this attitude manifests itself in our treating the low rent CCL like it's the other Champions League is somewhat unavoidable.


Acting like it matters might be the only way to speed up the process of it becoming relevant. Even if that won't work, treating the tournament in accordance with its perceived importance is tantamount to defeatism. If clubs are in it, they should aspire to win it. If winning brings rewards (the title of continental champion, an appearance in the Club World Cup, which, while lacking prestige itself, still involves the best of Europe and South America), then it has inherent value. The possibility of doing something no other American club has done, and then going on to play a club like Barcelona in what is nominally a meaningful tournament, gives certain people starry eyes. .


Clubs judge themselves against available yardsticks. The CONCACAF Champions League is the one international yardstick available to MLS. Downplaying its importance would be an odd thing to do. Considering recent history, minimizing the tournament would sounds like excuses for poor MLS performance.


This is where things get sticky. If we step outside of the bubble and recognize how little this Champions League means to everyone but a passionate few (and MLS itself), then step back in and frame it as a crucial and potentially transforming thing for an American or Canadian club to win, are we delusional, intentionally deceiving ourselves, lying, or worse?


I honestly don't know, but I'm not sure I see anything wrong with overselling the Champions League's importance. It's still a funny little tournament played in front of sparse crowds that may or may not help an MLS club or the league itself rise to the "next level." Unfortunately, however, it's the only means available for making an international splash of any measure. I know Davis isn't arguing that Real Salt Lake or Columbus shouldn't be trying to win the competition, just that it seems the parties involved are giving the CCL more credit than it actually deserves.


That's a truth, but it's a complicated one.


I'll close with an analogy. Major League Soccer is trying to get from Point A (minor, inconsequential league inhabiting a corner of the American sports landscape) to Point B (massive, important competition that draws big time players, big time attention, and big time dollars). Currently, it's on foot, walking slowly from Point A in the general direction of Point B. Over the course of the last sixteen years it has made steady, if excruciatingly slow, progress.


Off the side of the road a ways is a vehicle we'll call the "CONCACAF Champions League Express." It's not in good shape. It's not even clear it if runs. Nevertheless, should it run, even for a short time and covering only a small fraction of the total distance to the final destination at Point B, it could speed up the trip in a very meaningful way. The questions then, are how much energy MLS should devote to getting to that vehicle and how much hope there should be that it will go anywhere at all.


I don't know that there are clear answers to either.


--

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2011 NFL Mock Draft: The Cardinals Go Defense with Fifth Pick, Take Robert Quinn

Cardinals Opt To Go With Robert Quinn Instead Of A Quarterback

The Cardinals are going to go with a veteran at quarterback in 2011, meaning the fifth pick will be used to take a quality defensive prospect.

John Skelton still has a lot of development to go through and he already has a year in the system, so there really is no point in drafting another project rookie and starting from scratch. So the Cardinals will turn to shoring up their porous defense and draft a real pass rusher in Robert Quinn.

There are two schools of thought on Quinn. The year off will make him rusty, or it saved him a year of wear and tear. We?ll find out which side is right in 2011.

1. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton	17. New England Patriots: Adrian Clayborn
2. Denver Broncos: Da'Quan Bowers	18. San Diego Chargers: Tyron Smith
3. Buffalo Bills: Nick Fairley	19. New York Giants: Akeem Ayers
4. Cincinnati Bengals: A.J. Green	20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Aldon Smith
5. Arizona Cardinals: Robert Quinn	21. Kansas City Chiefs: Justin Houston
6. Cleveland Browns: Von Miller	22. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Castonzo
7. San Francisco 49ers: Patrick Peterson	23. Philadelphia Eagles: Derek Sherrod
8. Tennessee Titans: Blaine Gabbert	24. New Orleans Saints: Corey Liuget
9. Dallas Cowboys: Prince Amukamara	25. Seattle Seahawks: DeMarcus Love
10. Washington Redskins: Marcell Dareus	26. Baltimore Ravens: Jonathan Baldwin
11. Houston Texans: Cameron Jordan	27. Atlanta Falcons: Aaron Williams
12. Minnesota Vikings: J.J. Watt	28. New England Patriots: Torrey Smith
13. Detroit Lions: Nate Solder	29. Chicago Bears: Gabe Carimi
14. St. Louis Rams: Julio Jones	30. New York Jets: Phil Taylor
15. Miami Dolphins: Mark Ingram	31. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Pouncey
16. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ryan Kerrigan	32. Green Bay Packers: Cameron Heyward

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a deeper look at the draft, check out our Complete Three-Round Draft.

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With $400 million deal, NHL proves beer makes everything better

One of the oddest sights at the Heritage Classic was the ubiquitous presence of Budweiser in the Spectator Plaza, where one would have expected to see Molson or Labatt or really any other beer-maker besides that flavored water in a longneck.

Chances are we've seen it for the last time ... at least for the next seven years.

That's the duration of what the New York Times called the biggest corporate sponsorship in NHL history: a nearly $400 million deal that makes Molson Canadian the official beer of the NHL in North America and gives Coors Light sponsorship rights.

(UPDATE: Reuters reports that Labatt may ligitage, claiming it had a deal in place with the NHL.)

Interestingly, MillerCoors lost its gig as the official beer for the NFL last May, replaced by Bud Light. Andy England, the executive vice president and chief marketing officer for MillerCoors, told the NY Times that the NHL deal wasn't a reaction to that, adding:

"Hockey fans are big beer drinkers. In fact, we have data that shows hockey fans are the biggest beer drinkers of any major sports league."

Researchers knew they were on to something when hockey fans would answer "I never liked you anyway but do you wanna makeout hey where's the pisser" and "buuuuuurrrrrrrrrp" on every survey question ...

From Richard Sandomir of the Times:

Molson Coors owns 42 percent of MillerCoors, so it pursued the deal as a North American partnership. An agreement was reached soon after the Jan. 30 All-Star Game.  Dave Perkins, the president of Molson Coors Canada, said the N.H.L. deal was designed to add to the momentum built by Molson Canadian during last year's Winter Olympics in Vancouver and through its "Made From Canada" ad campaign. 

"For me, Molson Canadian and hockey are synonymous," Perkins said. "Hockey has a broad-based popularity in Canada that fits well with Molson Canadian."  He said that Coors Light was the No. 1 beer brand in Canada and Molson Canadian was No. 3.

(What's wrong with you, Canada? To think we respected your suds palete, only to hear you treat the Silver Bullet like liquid gold. For shame!)

From the NHL, the specifics on the deal:

In addition to becoming the official and exclusive beer sponsor of the NHL, Molson Canadian will gain the same distinction for key League events, including NHL Face-Off, NHL Winter Classic, NHL Heritage Classic, NHL All-Star, as well as the opportunity to offer consumer promotions involving the Stanley Cup. The deal also provides the brand with opportunities to engage fans through NHL media assets NHL.com, NHL Network, NHL Mobile and NHL Social. Molson Canadian is currently the Official Beer sponsor of many NHL teams in Canada and the U.S.

"The opportunity to offer consumer promotions involving the Stanley Cup ..." just thinking out loud here, but do you think the NHL and/or the Hockey Hall of Fame would stand in the way of a contest in which the winner(s) sipped Molson from the Cup?

Whether it's COO John Collins (definitely) or Gary Bettman (begrudgingly) that deserves the credit, there's no question the NHL has made huge gains in corporate sponsorship. From the Times:

From the 2008-9 to the 2009-10 season, the league says its sponsorship revenue grew 32 percent. Since this season began, the N.H.L. has renewed deals with Bridgestone, Cisco Systems and McDonald's and signed new ones with Canadian Tire, Tim Hortons, BlackBerry, Discover (in the United States) and Hershey's (in Canada).

That goes for the on-air product as well. Or are we the only ones who remember the VERSUS between-periods hit being sponsored by Waste Management? (Appropriate, given the quality of the studio show before NBC's influence.)

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Boston Bruins at Edmonton Oilers: Bs Take 5th Straight Win on the Road

Boston had to quickly pack their bags and leave Vancouver to get to Edmonton for a game less than 24 hours later to take on the Oilers at Rexall Place.

Normally I would gripe and moan about it, but given that the B's had a substantial rest between the Calgary and Vancouver contests, it didn't seem to be that big an issue (if you had read my past articles, I have been making comments of the often four games a week and back-to-back games schedule that the Bruins have faced this season).

Andrew Ference has been listed with a lower body injury after the game against the Canucks. I suspect it was due to the punishing Victor Oreskovich hit he received.

 

The Game

First Period

Edmonton wasted no time to open the scoring with Ales Hemsky. Jim Vandermeer ripped a shot from the point and Tuukka Rask stopped it, but the rebound went straight out to Hemsky. Hemsky made no mistake on the opportunity and notched his 14th goal of the season with just 1:05 into the contest.

Late in the period, Michael Ryder tied it up. McQuaid ripped on from the point and the rebound found Ryder. Ryder skated a little further to Devan Dubnyk's left and wristed it high to make it count.

Three minutes, nine seconds later, Nathan Horton gave the Bruins the lead. David Krejci was close and looked like he was ready to shoot but Dubnyk was square. Krejci passed to Horton who was all alone in the slot to bury it in the open right side. 2-1 Bruins.

 

Second Period

The only goal scored was in the last minute of play. Rich Peverley passed the puck to an open Ryder but Ryder had other ideas and passed it back to Peverley who was freed up by the play. Peverley skated from Dubnyk's right to left and put in his first as a Bruin to give Boston a 3-1 lead.

Edmonton only managed to muster 12 shots on Rask after 40 minutes. 

 

Third Period

Just over three minutes of play in the final frame, Gilbert Brule fired one from the point and it looked like there was a combination of a screen and Rask out of position that made the difference as the Oilers got within one to make it 3-2 Bruins.

The game got a little chippy with Brad Marchand and Andrew Cogliano getting the flippers up. Cogliano seemed to have gotten a couple more pokes in on Marchand, but Marchand decisively made the takedown.

Just over a minute later, Jim Vandemeer and Milan Lucic got into it.  Lucic looked like he got the first couple of punches in but the fight suddenly slowed down as if Lucic got stunned. Vandemeer took advantage of that and got a few good shots that took Lucic's helmet off and he appeared as if he was stunned again. All of a sudden, Lucic Looked like he woke up as he got a few good shot of his own in. Very strange fight and un-Looch-like (Yeah I know. Not a word, but it's my article. It wasn't Looch-like).

The Bruins took their fifth straight win and after going through a three-game losing streak at the hands of the Red Wings and Maple Leafs. All five wins were on the road so a trend like this would be welcoming in the playoffs, if they can win some at home and steal some in their opponent's barn.

The Oilers have not defeated the Bruins in their last nine meetings and we can date back to the year 2000 since this happened.

 

The Good

Where do I begin?

• In the five wins, the Bruins have outscored their opponents 19-9.
• Rask was solid. Having taken four of the last five games, he seemed to have rediscovered his game.
• The Bruins are not skating around like chickens with their heads cut off. Everybody seemed to be following their role to the letter and that has limited the mistakes.
• The transition, whether it was offensive or defensive has been instant. Once the play changed, everybody responded appropriately.
• Both Goalies played very well. My hat is off to Dubnyk after facing 40 shots on goal—he held his own, but his team mates couldn't muster more than 17 shots.

The Bad

So far not so bad, but the youngsters really have to stop their blind passes. There were a number of them in the recent past that could have eaten them up. So far, nothing like the Brad Marchand blind pass in front of the net where someone like Todd Bertuzzi could snatch it up and be left alone to score.

 

The Ugly

Again.  Where do I begin?

• Edmonton's 17 shots on goal is not a stat that I would want to post on my wall. Edmonton couldn't muster a proper offense against a team that leads the league in the least amount of goals against. To post 17 shots on net will not be enough to win games period, let alone against a defensive team like the Bruins.
• Dubnyk was not deserving of this loss. His teammates let him down. 
• The Officiating. Some calls the referees did not make could have cost the Bruins the game or at the very least an extra point. 
• There was a no-call on a clear icing. Chara thought it was and the play went on. Fortunately for the Bruins, nothing came out of it for the Oilers. 
• The headlock on Johnny Boychuk from Gilbert Brule which was followed by a cross-check in the shoulders when he was down on one knee, after the whistle and  while the referee was right there.  
• A.)  Brule held to the point of ripping Boychuk's Helmet off.  
• B.)  Sure it was less than a minute left to play, but it was a one-goal game and Brule clearly held Boychuk and followed up with an obvious attempt to goad Boychuk into a penalty to thin the defense at a crucial point of the game. Brule should have been sent off. Do the crime, get in the box.

 

My Take

Good game overall. Both Rask and Dubnyk played very well but someone had to take the W and leave the L for the other guy.

The B's did not panic and stuck to the game plan. The Oilers hung in there and made the game interesting.

 

This is Cory Ducey saying "Hit Hard, But Keep It Clean"

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The Complete List of NFL Combine Odds

The thinning of the herd starts Thursday in Indianapolis, where more than 300 prospects have gathered for the NFL's Scouting Combine. Players are put through six drills ? 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill and shuttle...

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Boston Celtics Build for Future, Go Green with Kendrick Perkins Trade

Boston Celtic fans almost choked on their cup of New England Clam "Chow-dah." I for one would have joined them except I now live in the unfriendly confines of Florida.  The announcement was so shocking we all still feel the vibrations of perceived betrayal.  We all questioned Danny Ainge's decision to trade the one player that made himself a Celtic through his dedication and hard work—Kendrick Perkins.

Celtic fans saw Perkins grow from a boy to a man, and they were pleased to call him their own; he cut his NBA teeth in their city.  Perk is not a superstar, but he was the little-big cog that embodied Ubuntu by sacrificing for the greater good of the team.

Now, in the year of his free agency, he wants to get paid and so he will—just not by the Celtics.  Ainge's grand vision of things does not include giving money to an undersized center that has no discernible offense and is coming off major knee surgery.

The Celtics did very well by acquiring Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic for Perk and Nate Robinson.  You can tell if a player really meant a lot to an organization by where they are traded.  Being part of a young championship foundation featuring an unassuming superstar like Kevin Durant isn't a bad trade-off.  After he sulks for these next few weeks in rehab, he will really realize his good fortunes and move on.

As will the rest of the Celtics.

Danny had been where the Celtics are now as a player, and he refused to let history tear down what he has so shrewdly built.  This move was painful but was absolutely necessary in order to have a smooth transition to the Rajon Rondo era.  Yes, it is here, it is now and Rondo has to be the one to lead them to Banner 18 this year.

Surrounding him with young, talented, playoff-tested, high-IQ veterans is important; Rondo will not stand for players who don't think the game—not after lacing it up with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.  Jeff Green gives them the possibility of that happening.

Green is an intriguing talent; he actually plays a similar style to Pierce; he is just more athletic.  Before you laugh at what I am saying, answer me this:  What one thing does Paul Pierce do particularly well?   We do know he has an in-between game, is a reliable three-point shooter and will punish you in the post. He simply gives the game what it needs.  Jeff can do all those things, is a better ball handler and is longer and more athletic than Pierce.

Best of all, he is only 24 years old and knows how to play with other superstars; so there will be no ego problems.  He is going back to the type of offense he is familiar with from his Georgetown days; one that is predicated on movement without the ball and not isolation.   

He also is receiving valuable knowledge from a hall-of-fame franchise with four future hall-of-famers one of which happens to be named Paul Pierce. This is something LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant can never get.  Green gets to see it up close and personal every day; he will listen and learn his craft and the Celtic way from Paul Pierce.

Celtic fans may yet point back to this trade as one that possibly gave them the future championship duo of Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green.

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Listen to Puck Daddy Radio for Elliotte Friedman, Kovalev trade

It's a Thursday edition of Puck Daddy Radio, and we're chatting about the following and much more:

• Special Guest Star: The great Elliotte Friedman of CBC Sports on the trade deadline and press box cheering.

• The Pittsburgh Penguins get Alexei Kovalev for ... a seventh rounder?

• Updates on Zherdev, Svatos, Rivet and others dropped on waiver wire.

• The Dan Ellis trade for the Anaheim Ducks.

• Dallas denies Richards' trade price tag.

• Question of the day: Do homer announcers make the hockey world a better place? Yes or no and why?

• Moller Madness, and your chance to qualify for our Friday game show.

• Puck Headlines.

• Puck Previews.

Email your thoughts to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com.

Puck Daddy Radio is on Monday through Friday, from 1-2 p.m. ET/10-11 a.m. PT on The Score Radio Sirius Channel 98. Featuring Wyshynski and Rob Pizzo, it's your show: Calls, tweets, special guests and a ton of hockey goodness every day.

The call in number is 1-888-942-7326 (1-888-9-HARDCORE). We'll also be reading emails to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com and tweets that you send to @wyshynski and @robpizzo.

We're all about interaction here; call in, email, tweet ... we'll discuss whatever you'd like. Listen here:

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Guns on Campus? Texas Considers Law to Allow It

Texas lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow concealed handgun license holders to carry weapons on campus and in classrooms. "This is about self-defense," said San Antonio Republican Senator Jeff Wentworth, the legislation's sponsor. "It's about protecting lives of students...

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Nashville Predators' Blake Geoffrion Becomes NHL's First 4th-Generation Player

Blake Geoffrion's grandfather was the legendary Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, who starred for the Montreal Canadiens from 1950-64 before finishing his playing career with the New York Rangers from 1966-1968.

Bernie scored 393 career NHL goals and earned the nickname due to an extremely heavy slap shot he first used while playing junior hockey in Laval, Quebec.

"Boom Boom" was the second player in NHL history to record 50 goals in a season after another legendary Montreal Canadien, Maurice "Rocket" Richard. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.

He would later become head coach of the New York Rangers, Atlanta Flames and Les Canadiens after his playing days.

Blake's grandmother was the daughter of one of the NHL's best all-time players, Howie Morenz, who is also a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Blake's father, Danny Geoffrion, played for the Montreal Canadiens in 1979-80 before suiting up for Winnipeg in 1980-81. He also played briefly in the World Hockey Association with the Quebec Nordiques.

Blake Geoffrion made his NHL debut yesterday as a member of the Nashville Predators in a 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. 

Geoffrion was taken in the 2006 NHL entry draft at 56th overall. After playing college hockey in Wisconsin, Blake turned pro with the Predators and began this season in Milwaukee (AHL).

The former Hobey Baker Award winner was recalled by the Predators on February 22.

The native of nearby Brentwood, Tennessee, Blake not only becomes the first-ever fourth-generation NHL player, but the first homegrown prospect from Tennessee to play in the NHL. Playing with the Predators makes the whole thing that much sweeter.

You can see Blake's interview from NHL.com here.

Congratulations Blake, all the best in your future career!

 

With articles featured on NHL.com and CBSsports.com. Mike MacDonald is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Nashville Predators and the NHL.

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Weekend soccer TV listings: Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Mexico

Numerous matches available live online at ESPN3.com and foxsoccer.tv All times are Eastern What are you going to watch? FRIDAY Germany, Wolfsburg-Moenchengladbach 2:30 p.m. ESPN Deportes Mexico, Necaxa-Santos Laguna 9 p.m. Azteca America SATURDAY Australia, Brisbane-Central Coast 4 a.m. Fox Soccer Channel England, Swansea City-Leeds 7:30 a.m. Fox Soccer Plus Germany, Schalke-Nurnberg 9:30 a.m. ESPN Deportes England, Wigan-Manchester United 10 a.m. FSC England, Everton-Sunderland 10 a.m. FSP Spain, Atletico Madrid-Sevilla noon GolTV England, Aston Villa-Blackburn noon FSC England, Wolves-Blackpool noon FSP Spain, Sporting Gijon-Zaragoza noon DirecTV (477) Spain, Espanyol-Real Sociedad noon DirecTV (478) Spain, Mallorca-Barcelona 2 p.m. ESPN Deportes For the rest of the schedule.....

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US Coach Bob Bradley Begins Building National Team Foundation Against Chile

Filed under: FIFA World Cup, US Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

CARSON, Calif. -- For the casual fan of the U.S. national team, Saturday's match against Chile probably seemed a bit unusual. Where was Landon Donovan? Why wasn't the game on English-language TV? Who the heck is Mikkel Diskerud, and why is everyone calling him "Mixx?"

The simple answers to these questions are that Landon Donovan is in Los Angeles preparing for the upcoming MLS season.

The game wasn't on television because ESPN is contracted to show a certain number of matches annually and this one wasn't selected.

And Mikkel Diskerud is a promising 20-year-old midfielder from Oslo whose American mother (hence his U.S. passport) nicknamed him "Mixx" when he was a child.

The reason for all of this confusion? The game against Chile was basically a scrimmage -- the international soccer equivalent of a JV game. Which is why Landon Donovan was given the night off. And why ESPN chose not to air the game. And why Diskerud got the start instead of Michael Bradley or Clint Dempsey or Stuart Holden.

 

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Soldat Captures Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park

This Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, FL the $400,000 2011 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes for 3-year-olds was held.

Soldat (French for Soldier) started the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 stake from pole position No. 1, along with Jockey Alan Garcia. At the start it took off from its rail post position and never looked back.

Soldat held off a challenge from To Honor and Serve around the far turn then pulled away to beat Gourmet Dinner by two lengths.

To Honor and Serve finished in third place 4 3/4 lengths back.

The victory for Soldat came in 1:50.23 on a dirt track listed as fast.

Soldat the 3-year-old son of War Front and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin was coming in to this race with a phenomenal 10 3/4 length victory this past January at Gulfstream Park on a sloppy track.

Soldat had previously won the With Anticipation Stakes (Grade 3) on grass at Saratoga Race Course and had finished second last year on grass at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (Grade 2) and at the Pilgrim Stakes (Grade 3).

With this impressive victory on dry dirt Soldat wins $240,000 and increases its graded stakes earnings to $510,000.

"It's on to the Florida Derby now," mentioned trainer Kiaran McLaughlin after the race.

The $1 million Florida Derby is scheduled at Gulfstream Park April 3rd.

If all continues well for Soldat and company they should grab a spot in Louisville, May 7th in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

 

 

 

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Big South Conference Tournament: Why VMI Can Punch a March Madness Ticket

VMI came from behind to defeat the Winthrop Eagles on Saturday night and secure the fourth-seed and a home tournament game.  

It's not a surprise to see VMI leading the nation in scoring with their all-out offense, but the main difference between this year and years past is their ability to play defense.

Freshmen acquisitions of Rodney Glasgow and D.J. Covington have proved to be the difference in the team's late season success. After starting their conference record at 5-8, VMI won five consecutive Big South games and finished with a conference record of 10-8.

D.J. Covington has proven to be one of the conference's best defenders in the paint, and Glasgow has stepped in as the team's point guard, a position that has been lacking over the past few years.

VMI would not be in the top half of the seeding if it wasn't for senior Austin Kenon who has caught fire in the past few weeks averaging over 20 points a game. They are one of the only teams in the conference to enter the Advance Auto Parts Big South Tournament on a winning streak.  

If they can continue their dominating defensive play, they will be well on their way towards their first Big South Championship.

VMI has been close to winning the tournament in past years but never actually won the big game. They appeared in the final game against Winthrop in 2007 and Radford in 2008, but came up short both times.

This year, it would appear that Coastal Carolina would have a guaranteed ticket to the NCAA Tournament, but due to the loss of their two best players to suspension and injury, they've opened the door to the other teams in the conference.  

Liberty—their closest competitor—has played poorly down the stretch and the only two teams that have played well at season's end have been UNC Asheville and VMI.

Look for these two teams to continue their success as we enter March Madness.

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Qatar to Put Question of Winter World Cup to Its People

- Jason Davis

It's a good thing the Qatar World Cup isn't for another 11 years or so. That gives us, and them, plenty of time to debate the possibility of turning the world's soccer calendar on its head by moving the first-ever World Cup in the Middle East to the winter. It's hot in Qatar, and people seemed to be concerned despite promises of air conditioned stadiums and free FIFA-branded hats made out of ice for every visiting fan*.

The latest in the saga, which actually seemed close to being put to rest with Mohammed Bin Hammam's proclamation that moving the World Cup was a non-starter considering that it was up to the Qataris and the Qataris alone to decide such a thing, is a statement from the country's ruler that the question of moving the tournament to January might be put to the Qatari people themselves.

Qatari emir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, from the AP:

"We will ask the people what they want," the emir said after talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron. He did not elaborate on when or how he would seek their views.

Let's recap, shall we?


On December 2nd, Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup. Up to that point, no mention had been made about the possibility of moving the tournament to the winter. We were assured that fantastic floating super cooled stadiums - yet to be built but that's okay because here are some cool renderings and Qatar can always hire cheap foreign labor to construct them - would host games comfortable for both fan and player, while World Cup visitors, when not attending games, would...there wasn't much mention of how fans would be protected from the heat when not at games, actually. Presumably, the thoughtful minds on the FIFA Executive Committee were content that the problem could be resolved with a hearty helping of Qatari cash. Either that or they didn't give it much thought at all.


Almost immediately after handing the World Cup to Qatar, soccer's leadership began to talk about moving the 2022 tournament to January. The first was Franz Beckenbauer, just two days after the vote. A week or so later, UEFA chief Michel Platini chimed in by conceding that a winter World Cup would be okay by him. FIFA General Secretary Jean Valcke backed a winter move shortly thereafter. Then Sepp himself got in on the act in the New Year, saying - in Doha of all places - that a Qatar World Cup in winter might be the way to go.


Asian Football Confederation chief and Qatari bid leader Mohammed Bin Hammam wasn't having any of it, and slapped down the winter idea (an outburst that also led to a lot of "Bin Hammam is aiming for Blatter's job" speculation) late last month.

"I've said consistently that Qatar won the bid to stage 2022 in June-July, and we intend to do so in June-July.

"We are confident we can stage the most comfortable World Cup ever and we will keep our promise.

"We are not interested in changing by even one day from the conventional period. Anyone who has a different opinion - that's their problem.

"The World Cup has been organised since its launch in 1935 in the summer, and there must be good reason why. We should preserve this and look at the damage from departing from convention.

"A shift would affect three seasons, including those before and after, and this is why I'm rejecting the idea. This is Qatar's stand as host nation. I would understand the [European] leagues' and clubs' objection."

The issue seemed closed when Blatter reversed himself, probably cowed by Bin Hammam and desperate to avoid any serious challenge to his reelection this year, by saying that "the matter was on ice" (oh, Sepp, you clever bastard you) and ham-fistedly shifting the blame for all of the speculation to player-oriented voices like Beckenbauer and Platini. Summer, then.


Or winter, I guess, since the emir reopened the question, though this idea that the Qatari people will ultimately decide when the World Cup is played in 2022 seems a tad ridiculous. I'm not even sure what would prompt Qatar's emir to say such a thing, what mechanism might be used to gauge the opinion, or if FIFA would stand idly by and let the people of Qatar jerk their tournament around. That's their job.


I've got World Cup calendar-induced whiplash, and we still have 11 years to go.


*I don't doubt that this could become a real thing.

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Are the Stars Aligned for a Big Deal?

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Americans Abroad: Clint Dempsey, Jonathan Spector Keep Scoring Goals

Filed under: European Soccer, English Premier League, Bundesliga (Germany), U.S. Men's National Team

Several Americans abroad found net this weekend, a few settled in with new clubs, and one even did both. But amid it all, Clint Dempsey continued to set the gold standard for Yanks abroad.

The Fulham midfielder scored both goals in the Cottagers' 2-0 home win over Stoke City on Saturday, bringing his English Premier League total to eight on the season -- five more than Fulham's second-leading scorer.

The crafty Texan scored the opener in the 33rd minute when, in vintage Dempsey fashion, he launched a goal-crashing run to beat his man to the ball and slide Andy Johnson's cross into the roof of the net (photo).

 

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Andy Gray, Richard Keys Taken Off Air for Sexist Comments

Filed under: English Premier League, Sports Business and Media

LONDON (AP) -- Two of Britain's leading soccer commentators were reprimanded by their TV network and taken off the air Monday after making sexist remarks about two female game officials and a team executive.

Andy Gray and Richard Keys were disciplined Monday for derogatory comments about Sian Massey's suitability as a lineswoman for a Premier League game the commentators were working Saturday for Sky Sports.

Gray and Keys have been respected voices in soccer for the past 20 years. They also criticized the ability of former Premier League official Wendy Toms and a column written by West Ham executive Karren Brady in the Sun newspaper that day.

The men have privately apologized to their employer. Sky said the two have been warned and "reminded of their responsibilities." They will not work the show Monday night when Bolton hosts Chelsea in the Premier League.

"They (the comments) are inexcusable from anyone at Sky, regardless of their role or seniority," said Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports.

 

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Fallout From Tragic Car Accident Lingers as Charlie Davies Returns to D.C.

WASHINGTON -- The siren from a passing emergency vehicle could be heard as D.C. United general manager Dave Kasper introduced Charlie Davies to the media at RFK Stadium on Wednesday, the sort of blare that surrounded the striker as he lay critically injured after a single-car accident not far from here in October 2009.

Not that Davies recalls much about that tragic night that left a fellow passenger dead and derailed his soccer career.

"The only thing I remember was getting in the car, eventually putting on my seat belt and waking up in the hospital," Davies said. "I didn't know how I got there. The only thing I could do was panic. I started taking the staples out of my stomach until a nurse ran over and stopped me."

Davies broke curfew to meet up with Maria Espinoza and Ashley Roberta, college friends from the University of Maryland that Davies met on a prior trip to the Washington area. The three were headed back to the hotel where the U.S. national team was staying in advance of a World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica, when Espinoza lost control of her Infiniti SUV on the George Washington Parkway in Arlington, Va.

The high-speed wreck split the vehicle in half, killing Roberta instantly. Davies suffered multiple injuries, including bleeding on the brain, a ruptured bladder, breaks to his femur, tibia and elbow and several facial fractures. Espinoza, who was not seriously injured, eventually pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and driving while intoxicated. She isn't scheduled to be sentenced until March 23, but was ordered to court next week after federal probation officials issued an order that alleged she had violated terms of her pretrial release by consuming alcohol.

"I think it's a good thing I don't remember too much from the accident," Davies said. "That's maybe why I'm not too emotional about the whole thing."

Davies, in fact, wasn't hesitant about visiting the site of the crash a couple months afterward with U.S. teammate Oguchi Onyewu, who's from Washington.

"He wanted to see his father who was having back surgery in the same hospital I was in," Davies said. "He said, 'Do you want to come?' I said I wanted to. He asked if I wanted to go down the GW Parkway. I said, 'Yeah, I do.' He drove down and showed me. As weird as it sounds, it was interesting to see all of it again from a different perspective. I felt so thankful for my life. I felt relieved."

Those around Davies said the near-death experience and the months of grueling rehab changed the 24-year-old Boston College product.

"This experience has made him mature," Nina Stavris, Davies' fiancée, told FanHouse. "He's a better person now. He's more compassionate. He's more sensitive. The (crash) has had an impact on him, but in a good way."

Not unusual for somebody attempting to come back from such serious injuries, there were setbacks.

"There was time in rehab when a shard (of his femur) would puncture his muscle every time he tried to do something," said Stavris, whom Davies credited as being vital to his comeback effort. "He never knew if that would go away. It's totally rounded off now and doesn't affect him anymore."

Then there was the emotional torment of being left off the U.S. roster for last summer's World Cup.

"That was the first big low point," said Lyle Yorks, Davies' agent and a former D.C. United player. "Emotionally, that was very difficult for him for about a 24-hour period. Then it was on to having the best season he could with (his French club) Sochaux."

Davies, however, languished as a reserve at Sochaux, and Yorks began to explore Davies' options stateside. After weeks of negotiations, United acquired Davies on a one-season loan.

Even though he will be only a few miles away from the Alexandria, Va., courtroom where Espinoza will be sentenced next month, Davies has declined to participate in person. He had the option to give a victim impact statement in court, but his lawyer, Jon Pels, told FanHouse that Davies has opted to instead submit a written statement. Peter Carr, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, declined to comment on Davies' decision not to participate more in the penalty phase of the case.

"We just made the decision that it was best to focus on soccer," Davies said. "I want to leave that to the (U.S.) Attorney and the lawyers. My focus now is getting back to where I was and help (D.C. United) win games."

As Davies moves on, Espinoza faces as many as 13 years in prison and the Roberta family -- some members of which were still nearly inconsolable during Espinoza's plea hearing in November -- still haven't fully come to terms with the loss of a daughter and a sister.

 

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Driver in Charlie Davies accident placed on home detention pending sentencing after observed drinking again

From Post court reporter Dana Hedgpeth's accounts of today's hearing involving the woman responsible for the 2009 car accident that severely injured soccer player Charlie Davies and killed another passenger...... Espinoza was released on her own recognizance in November after pleading guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and maiming while driving intoxicated. A passenger, Ashley Roberta of Phoenix, Md., was killed in the accident. Brenda Galbraith, a private investigator hired by Roberta's family to do surveillance of Espinoza after hearing that she was allegedly drinking again, followed her on Feb. 5, according to testimony given Thursday. Galbraith observed Espinoza sipping wine in an Italian restaurant, she testified, then followed her to a Baltimore nightclub where she observed her doing what appeared to be four or five "shots" with friends. Sentencing is March 18, the day before Davies makes his D.C. United debut at RFK Stadium.

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D.C. United roster status and analysis

While we have a few minutes before being blindsided by the next D.C. United personnel move, let's take a closer look at the roster by position: GOALKEEPERS In camp: Steve Cronin, Bill Hamid, Chase Harrison, Pat Onstad, Joe Willis. Status: Cronin is out for months with a broken wrist. Hamid has recovered from shoulder surgery and is likely to see his first match action in South Carolina next month. Onstad, the 43-year-old keepers coach, has come out of retirement and will sign a short-term contract. Harrison and rookie Willis have been competing for a reserve slot. If the season began today, the starter would be: Onstad. He's fit and carries decades of experience. He didn't have a great 2010 in Houston, but until Hamid is cleared and regains match rhythm, Onstad is the most realistic option. For defenders, midfielders and forwards.....

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Report: Fractured thumb for Capitals' Backstrom

Translated reports from foreign-language sources can be choppy waters at times, but usually not when the news is given by the athlete himself.

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported after the Washington Capitals' 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins last night that Caps' No. 1 center Nicklas Backstrom suffered a fractured thumb. Via Japers' Rink:

The cause of the injury was a slash from Kris Letang that the referees didn't blow the whistle for. After the game the X-Ray showed a fracture in the thumb.

[Backstrom:] "Yes there is a little fracture. It's too bad that it happened but I don't think it feels that bad."

If the young Swede ... will have to watch from the sidelines is unclear at the moment. "I don't know I think I'm day-to-day and right now. I feel ok, but we have to wait and see how it feels in the next couple of days."

The Capitals offered a 'no comment' to the Washington Post before amending that to 'day-to-day' to the Washington Examiner, signaling that it's a short-term injury (although who knows what duration that'll be).

Backstrom has 53 points in 61 games, but has gone pointless in seven of 10 games in February. If he's out for a bit, expect healthy doses of Marcus Johansson and Mathieu Perreault.

Beyond his offensive prowess, why is this big news? Because Backstrom's yet to miss an NHL game.

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Adam Wainwright Out: Could Scott Kazmir in the St Louis Cardinals' Future?

Albert Pujols has dominated much of the baseball news in St. Louis this offseason, but he may not hold the key to the Cardinals' success in 2011

One of baseball's brightest and most underrated pitching stars, Adam Wainwright, will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery this spring, leaving a gaping hole in St. Louis' rotation.

Wainwright, the Cardinals' co-ace, has the game's lowest ERA over the last two years and finished second and third in Cy Young voting during that time.

Along with Chris Carpenter, the Cardinals had arguably the best one-two punch at the top of their rotation, as good or better than that of the Phillies (Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels), Giants (Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain), and Angels (Jered Weaver, Dan Haren).

Now, one of those teams might just offer the best option to fill the void left by Wainwright.

Scott Kazmir may not be Wainwright's equal, but the once-and-future ace has a resume that includes a strikeout crown and appearances in both the All-Star game and the World Series. Since coming to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2009, however, Kazmir's road back to stardom has been a little bumpy.

His first six appearances for the Halos were stellar. Two nightmarish postseason starts and an injury-plagued season later, Kazmir is a reclamation project with No. 5 starter written all over him.

Perfect for Dave Duncan.

The Cardinals pitching coach is to struggling hurlers what Dr. Gregory House is to dying patients, minus the limp. The acerbic wit is up for debate.

Dr. Duncan is known league-wide for his uncanny ability to diagnose and treat formerly great pitching talents, repairing any mechanical or mental issues along the way and bringing them back to a competitive level.

Just look at Angels pitcher Joel Pineiro, a guy with all the talent in the world who somehow lost his mojo and risked toiling in the minors before retiring in anonymity.

A couple seasons under Duncan and suddenly Pineiro arrives in Anaheim with new confidence and a new pitch, a sinker ball that causes frustrated batters to ground out at an alarming rate.

A guy like Kazmir, who seems to lose velocity on his fastball every season without any apparent cause, is a project begging to be worked on by Duncan. And when the rehab is done, the Cardinals will get not one but two players to use: a stud to plug in Wainwright's spot, and a powerful trade chip when the co-ace returns.

In his stead, the Angels could give Trevor Bell a chance to prove he belongs in the starting rotation. If not, Matt Palmer and newcomer Hisanori Takahashi will be there to provide backup.

Of course, Bell wouldn't be the only one to benefit from the trade. The Angels have an even greater need than the Cardinals' pitching woes: third base.

After the failure to develop Brandon Wood and the failure to sign Adrian Beltre, super utility man Maicer Izturis has been tabbed as the interim starting third baseman this season.

His graceful fielding and clutch hitting aside, though, he is not a prototypical corner infielder and cannot provide the pop still missing from Anaheim's lineup.

Factor in his injury history and it's no great leap to expect the Angels to be players on the trade market this year. But Kazmir and the Cardinals could help settle the issue before the season ever gets under way.

Allen Craig, a 26-year-old prospect, has shown some promise in the Cardinals system, playing the corners in both the outfield and infield. The Mission Viejo native has got a little pop as well, belting four homers and driving in 18 runs in 44 games last season.

With a good showing this spring, could work his way onto a Major League bench come April. There's no reason that bench couldn't be in Anaheim.

The Cardinals have stated that Wainwright's replacement will likely come from within the organization, but they may be willing to part with a decent prospect or two if it means getting someone like Kazmir, who has shown brilliant stuff in the past and is young enough to reclaim his former prowess.

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