On Monday 19 December 2011, China commenced the trials of about 60 players, referees and officials over allegations of corruption and match-fixing, after a crackdown that began in January 2010 (see above video). Besides match-fixing for gambling syndicates linked (inevitably) with organised crime in East Asia, the trials cover more petty forms of corruption such as the sale of positions in the Chinese men’s national soccer team, which has gone from qualifying for the World Cup in 2002 and making the final of the Asian Cup in 2004 to not qualifying for any World Cup since then. To put this in perspective, North Korea qualified last time and China did not. Continue reading
football
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Injuries happen every year, yet this year the bug has seemed to bite the quarterback position particularly hard. The Houston Texans are starting TJ Yates, who I swear played eight collegiate seasons at North Carolina. The Chiefs are starting Tyler Palko, a guy who was cut from the United Football League’s California Redwoods in 2009. If you looked at the Week 13 starters in the NFL Rex Grossman wouldn’t even be in the bottom five, and that’s quite a thing. Continue reading
Well Crassballers, sadly it’s that time of year again already, the end of the college football regular schedule. Here are some of the highlights of today’s action. Continue reading
What matchups are you watching this week? I’m curious for the Saints to get their first look at Cam Newton. Curious, too, to see whether the Jets’ defense will be effective against the Pats’ offensive machine. And the Packers-Falcons game should be really good: the Falcons haven’t been close to champs material this season, but at home, they’ve got a good shot at handing the Packers their first loss. Meanwhile, into the meat of the season, we’ve hit the first week of byes for some teams. Did you take that into account, Crasstalk FFers? Let’s get down to brass tacks and talk some smack.
That’s right, heterosexuals! Princess Lady Dame Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone her very own self is in talks to perform the halftime show at this year’s Superbowl.
More deets can be found at SB Nation.
Let’s see… sweaty muscle men in shiny tight lycra pants plus Madonna. Also, football players. I’m afraid the gays win this one.
Here are the games I’m interested in this week: Saints at Jaguars (obviously), Lions at Cowboys (lovable baby blue vs. detestable baby blue), Jets at Ravens (AFC East defensive standoff — should be an excellent game), Panthers at Bears (is Cam Newton for real?).
In the interest of sportsmanship trash talk, let’s go.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune ran a series this past week commemorating the 2006 reopening of the Superdome for the New Orleans Saints’ home opener a little over a year after Hurricane Katrina, and a lot of people are remembering the spectacle of U2 and Green Day arena-rocking the Dome as the kickoff for the Monday Night Football telecast. For me, though, the musicians who made that night special were Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas. Continue reading
AMERICAN FOOTBALL IS BACK, DICKWAGONS. That means hard hitting, butt slapping, 3-4 defense, butt slapping, zone blocking, butt slapping, dreadlocks and butt slapping! After a bitter lockout and frenzied free agent season, the NFL kicks off (Wordplay, yo) the 2011 season with the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers defending their cheese-encrusted tundra against the New Orleans Saints.
The NFL is the epitome of American culture. There is nothing subtle or muted about the sport. Every play is celebrated with a dance no matter the context, the pregame shows are packed with fake, unfunny jocks in their 40s. The owners and networks rake in billions of dollars in profits, yet the only people to catch shit are the athletes who are the ones actually getting concussed for entertainment. Continue reading
“A streak of fire, a breath of flame
Eluding all who reach and clutch;
A gray ghost thrown into the game
That rival hands may never touch;
A rubber bounding, blasting soul
Whose destination is the goal — Red Grange of Illinois!”
– Grantland Rice
People don’t write about football players like this any more. Luckily, there’s America’s only all old-timey sports writer NFL preview!
(Note: I didn’t actually research if this was the case, just go with it.)