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Recent articles

• Memories of another Independence Day — My dream match at USA ‘94 World Cup (USA v BRAZIL)

  July 4, 1994 — Do you remember it ? Man, I sure do ! I had been a volunteer with the USA ‘94 Organizing Committee since 1992, when my initial task was to distribute the first official souvenirs that were issued - World Cup flag logo lapel pins (as seen in the illustration here). I was wearing one of these on this very ... [Link]

• COPA LIBERTADORES 2008 — An upset for the ages !

  The group stage of the 2008 tournament (officially called Copa Santander Libertadores de América, with the Santander Bank as the current title sponsor) included 32 teams from 11 confederations… With the winner going on to the FIFA Club World Cup alongside the likes of Manchester United this December, few would have chosen the little-known Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito to be the 2008 Champions, ... [Link]

• Men’s Semifinals Placeholder

  We switched writer schedules around on Tennis Diary and I already switched days this week so I could party last weekend, so everything’s a bit messed up. Not only that but I spent hours on the phone with the Internal Revenue Service today and I know you Europeans and East Coasters will be tuning in to the men’s semifinals before ... [Link]

• No More Beer Bottles: Torres-Holt II Preview, Prediction

  “The Star Spangled Banner” probably will never sound sweeter to Kendall Holt than Saturday night, because the alternative, from the first time he fought Ricardo Torres, is drunken Colombians pelting him in the back of the head with full beer bottles, showering him in brew and even grabbing at his ankles. All that and more allegedly happened to Holt when ... [Link]

• TV ratings, merchandise sales perk up for IndyCar Series

  There’s a lot of work to do yet, but the unification of open-wheel racing has done the IndyCar Series some good in the first half of the 2008 campaign. In the television department, the IRL has scored bigger ratings on all three of its major TV channels. Also, at-track merchandise sales have jumped 70 percent, and that has a chance ... [Link]

• Very Quick Jabs, Featuring Pacquiao, Pavlik, Duddy, That Controversial DQ, The Olympics And Others

  We’ll get to the preview and prediction of a very interesting weekend rematch between 140-pounders Ricardo Torres and Kendall Holt quite soon, but first, let’s pump some “Quick Jabs,” checking in with last weekend’s combatants, some recent boxing in-the-court news, the Olympics and more: (more…) [Link]

• Dario the domino?

  Could Franchitti’s NASCAR flop trigger the demise of more teams lacking sponsors in all forms of racing — including the IndyCar Series? It certainly was off-putting to see Dario Franchitti’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ride get shut down earlier this week, especially after standing next to his team’s pit box to watch the first few laps of last Sunday’s race ... [Link]

• Martin Truex Jr., Randy Moss News and more….

  ESPN.com up today with an interview with Mauricia Grant who filed the massive lawsuit against NASCAR. NOTE: The video does contain some spicy language that young kids should stay away from. David Newton now says that Tony Stewart has lined up Office Depot as a sponsor if he finalizes a deal with HAAS CNC Racing. Martin Truex Jr. had his ... [Link]

• Dario Franchitti has limited options

  His team and Sprint Cup future is not looking good, but he has very limited options for getting back into the Sprint Cup series. He can drive in the Nationwide series for Chip Gannasi for the rest of the season. That will give him some experience, but the Nationwide Series cars are not the same as the Sprint Cup cars ... [Link]

• Luciano Emilio wins MLS Goal of the Week…and MLS Player of the MONTH

  DC United’s on a hot streak, and they have no player hotter at the moment than their 30-year old Brazilian-bred striker Luciano Emilio… The 2007 Major League Soccer MVP has really been on fire in the most recent weeks of this season. He has helped the team to a 4-0-0 record during the month of June, and for the great leadership ... [Link]

• The Williams Sisters Are Rolling So Why Aren’t I Watching?

  Serena and Venus Williams are on their way to a sister to sister final at Wimbledon but I’m not paying much attention. What’s my problem? Two sportscasters were talking about the current state of U.S. sports on the radio this afternoon. The U.S. is currently ranked 30th in the world in soccer, failed to reach the semifinals in the World ... [Link]

• Q&A: Ian O’Connor, Author of ‘Arnie & Jack’

  When Ian O’Connor contacted me in May and offered to do something on his new golf book, Arnie & Jack, I said, “Great.” The book was doing very well and already on my radar. Then the author emails me. Perfect. Besides, growing up, Jack Nicklaus was my Tiger Woods. Arnie & Jack was right in my golf wheelhouse. A review ... [Link]

• Aric Almirola, Mark Martin news and more….

  DEI officials made it official today in coming out with the news that Aric Almirola is going to be the full time driver for the #8 car next season. No word yet on who is going to be the sponsor for this car. Hendrick Motorsports is expected on friday to say that Mark Martin is going to drive the #5 ... [Link]

• GALAXY leading in league attendance (26,000 avg. home and away), as well as in Western standings

  This week marks the 15th round of Major League Soccer, and as with Major League Baseball, we are approaching the exact midway point and our own All-Star break… In the 30-week MLS season, most teams reach their halfway mark this holiday weekend. The Western Conference-leading LA Galaxy has their 15th match on Independence Day night this Friday, and it couldn’t have been planned any ... [Link]

• Millions in U.S. made EURO 2008 on TV a weekday/weekend habit [UPDATED]

  The quadrennial European Championships of soccer are highly anticipated around the world, and this time around, U.S. fans had their best-ever live TV coverage of the 16-team, month-long extravaganza held through June 29 this time in Austria and Swtizerland… For four consecutive weekends, and most of the weekdays in between, Americans for the first time ever were able to watch ... [Link]

• Video — Fernando Torres as a youth prodigy

  The hero of the EURO 2008 Final was well-known and highly sought-after as a teen, long before his current (and still rising) superstar status with Liverpool and SPAIN… A video has surfaced from 12 years ago, when he was half of his current 24 years. Italian magazine “La Gazzetta dello Sport” has posted it online in the aftermath of Spain’s ... [Link]

• Men’s Quarterfinal Preview

  I’m guessing nobody predicted the names of Arnaud Clement and Rainer Schuettler to be amongst the final eight players at Wimbledon this year? How about believing that Marat Safin would rediscover Grand Slam success on grass of all surfaces? Wimbledon 2008 has had some amazingly consistent performances from the top two players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and then some ... [Link]

• Caesars Pocono Resorts’ Racing For Romance Nascar Package Now Available

  – Race Fan Package Specials for August Pennsylvania 500 Race – MOUNT POCONO, PA — Race packages are still available as Caesars Pocono Resorts teams up again with Pocono Raceway to offer the special Race Fan Package for race fans attending the NASCAR Pennsylvania 500 Race. The all-inclusive three-day package begins on August 1st and includes breakfast and dinner, attendance ... [Link]

• Major Dario Franchitti news and more…

  In Chip Gnassi Racing press release out today it states that due to lack of a sponsorship for the #40 car driven by Dario Franchitti they are suspending operations of this team starting with the race at Daytona this week. This leaves 71 people out of a job. It looks like he may still race for them though in the ... [Link]

• Why the WTA Tour is the Up-and-Coming Sport to Watch

  This is my first article at Tennis Diary, although I’m no stranger to the MVN network (you can find my other work over at Chop ‘n Change). I’m also no stranger to the WTA Tour. A couple of summers ago, I was lucky enough to land a legal internship with the WTA Tour. My time there convinced me that the ... [Link]