World Cup 2010 Blog: “Sit Back and Enjoy the World Cup 2010 Race Against Time” plus 1 more

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Sit Back and Enjoy the World Cup 2010 Race Against Time Posted: 23 Feb 2010 03:03 PM PST The build-up to a World Cup is always exciting. There’s hype galore and expectations on the rise in all 32 competing nations. Good times. Seems the build up to World Cup 2010 will be even more exciting than usual though, because as well as the football related build-up there will apparently be a race against time to get everything ready for the big kick off. FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke (of Charlize Theron flirting fame and pictured above left) was quizzed about South Africa’s readiness to host World Cup 2010 during the FIFA Team Workshop in Sun City, South Africa, and had this to say: “If the question is ‘could we host the World Cup tomorrow morning?’ the answer is ‘no’,” Valcke said at FIFA’s Team Workshop in Sun City. “At this stage, we couldn’t play the World Cup because Soccer City isn’t ready.” “At this stage, we couldn’t play the opening game. That’s a fact. At this stage, we have 700,000 tickets still to sell, at this stage I can make a list of things that aren’t ready for the World Cup. We have 108 days – it seems short, it is short, but even if we have to stay awake all night, every day, we will be ready by the time of the World Cup.” I know, I know. That doesn’t sound great. But nobody panic. We’ve known from the beginning that holding the World Cup in South Africa would require a fair bit of stadium building and other infrastructure work. It’s also been clear for a while now that some of said work was a little behind schedule. But I can’t see a situation where we get to June 11th 2010 without stadiums being finished and enough infrastructure being in place to make the whole thing work. It’s the World Cup. It will happen. It’s taking shape even as I type this. Whatever problems there are, there’s no way an organization as big and powerful and as scared of bad PR as FIFA is going to let anything bad happen to its showpiece quadrennial tournament. So here’s my advice: Ignore any doom-mongering newspaper and/or website headlines and instead just sit back and enjoy what’s likely to be one of the more exciting buildups in World Cup history.

Soundoff: What’s Your “Other” World Cup 2010 Team? Posted: 22 Feb 2010 03:40 PM PST If your national team made it to World Cup 2010, then congratulations. Support them with all your heart (and lungs) this June, and – if you’re lucky – July. But if your team gets knocked out early, or if your team didn’t make it at all, then I’m curious to know who – if anyone – you’ll be supporting instead. I’ve got some history in this department. England failed to make it the 1994 World Cup, and so I threw my support behind Ireland. Because I was familiar with all their players and because manager Jack Charlton was English. Similarly, as a US resident I’ve been supporting the USA as my “other” team ever since the 2006 World Cup. Does anyone else out there have a second team for the World Cup? Either someone you’ll be following because your team didn’t qualify, or a second team you’ll be supporting as well as your main national team? If so, please share by letting us know: 1. What’s your national team? 2. What’s your “second” or “other” national team? and 3. Why that team?

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Suh No. 1 in SN's pre-Combine NFL mock draft

MAMUDU, Your February 24, 2010 issue of Sporting News Today is now available, please click here. Here are some articles in Today's Issue Combine starts today: Five prospects have some explaining to do Eagles release Westbrook; Peppers a free agent 7 pages of Olympic hockey: USA vs. Swiss, plus complete quarterfinals preview Canada vs. Russia: Dream matchup features Crosby, Ovechkin rivalry Braves look like contenders in Cox's final season If you experience any problems with your issue, please click here to contact our customer service department. Know a friend who might like Sporting News Today? Email him/her this link: www.sportingnewstoday.com.     Trouble Viewing? If any of the above links do not work for you,   copy and paste this URL into your browser:   http://today.sportingnews.com/t=c/?1&122528&157818&19183&0000&1236490819&EIInjEOx9cS45     Please do not reply to this message. Questions may be submitted to Digital Support.   To stop receiving email notifications for digital issues of Sporting News Today,   click here.   Sporting News Today 120 West Morehead Street Suite 200 Charlotte, NC 28202

No. 1 sleepers: Duke, Villanova, Kansas State in fight for top tourney seed

MAMUDU, Your February 23, 2010 issue of Sporting News Today is now available, please click here. Here are some articles in Today's Issue Combine a proving ground for McCoy, Dwyer, Best Five Combine prospects, one goal: The first round In do-or-die game, Team Canada turns to Luongo in net Young Marlins expect to contend Blount episode still haunts Oregon's program If you experience any problems with your issue, please click here to contact our customer service department. Know a friend who might like Sporting News Today? Email him/her this link: www.sportingnewstoday.com.     Trouble Viewing? If any of the above links do not work for you,   copy and paste this URL into your browser:   http://today.sportingnews.com/t=c/?1&122451&157804&19166&0000&1236490790&EIInjEOx9cS45     Please do not reply to this message. Questions may be submitted to Digital Support.   To stop receiving email notifications for digital issues of Sporting News Today,   click here.   Sporting News Today 120 West Morehead Street Suite 200 Charlotte, NC 28202

World Cup 2010 Blog: “Photo: A Skyline Befitting The World Cup.” plus 1 more

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Photo: A Skyline Befitting The World Cup. Posted: 22 Feb 2010 04:10 AM PST A beautiful picture has begun to take shape.

Alexander Frei: International Football’s Hard Luck Man. Posted: 22 Feb 2010 01:40 AM PST There were many scenes worth remembering from Euro2008, but there were none more heart-wrenching than watching Alexander Frei wipe the tears away with his captain’s armband as he limped off the Basel pitch in front of his hometown fans, knowing full well his Swissaustrian adventure was over. At 28, the chance of a lifetime was over only minutes after it’d begun. It’s the type of horrible luck which makes you wonder if the gods have it out for Frei. There’s little questioning their vengeful hatred now, as Frei, still the Swiss captain, faces a mad dash to simply make South Africa after breaking his arm on Sunday. “It must be calculated that Frei will not be able to play football for between eight and 10 weeks,” said the club on their website. As any coach will tell you, when it comes to the World Cup simply being healthy enough to kick a ball isn’t going to cut it. Match fitness is at a premium and though there are exceptions – Frei, as captain and all-time leading goalscorer, could likely be one – Switzerland is now thrust into blueprinting another major tournament should Alexander’s rehab falter in the slightest. “It’s something we have to live with,” said Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld on the Swiss federation’s website (www.football.ch). “We still have some alternatives up our sleeve. But I hope for the player, the club and the national team that his recovery goes well.” With the Swiss league ending on May 15th, twelve weeks from now, there’s a chance Frei won’t play a domestic game before the World Cup kicks off in June. A tremendous blow for Basel, for Frei, but perhaps most of all, Switzerland. It’s the cruelest of timing for a man who’s already suffered the cruelest of fates on the biggest stage of his life.

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Six pages of Olympic hockey: Team USA stuns Team Canada, 5-3, new favorites for gold

MAMUDU, Your February 22, 2010 issue of Sporting News Today is now available, please click here. Here are some articles in Today's Issue Custance: From underdog to favorite, U.S. has raised the bar Busy week for NFL: Combine begins, franchise tag deadline NFL free agency: The top 10 defensive lineman Best lineup, Halladay make Phils favorite in N.L. Howard, Magic hand Cavs third straight loss If you experience any problems with your issue, please click here to contact our customer service department. Know a friend who might like Sporting News Today? Email him/her this link: www.sportingnewstoday.com.     Trouble Viewing? If any of the above links do not work for you,   copy and paste this URL into your browser:   http://today.sportingnews.com/t=c/?1&122344&157797&19138&0000&1236490729&EIInjEOx9cS45     Please do not reply to this message. Questions may be submitted to Digital Support.   To stop receiving email notifications for digital issues of Sporting News Today,   click here.   Sporting News Today 120 West Morehead Street Suite 200 Charlotte, NC 28202

World Cup 2010 Blog: Whose Reputation Might Be Made In South Africa

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Whose Reputation Might Be Made In South Africa Posted: 20 Feb 2010 11:45 AM PST World Cups – they can make you, or they can break you. Particuarly in these over analytical times, arguments abound about just who the best players on the planet abound, and the biggest riposte to certain players is “well he never does it in the big matches”. Obviously there are no bigger matches than the World Cup, and so when you do it on that stage, the argument is null and void. Chris’ post about exactly what is World Class got me thinking – which players aren’t quite the créme de la creme now, but may well be in a few short months? And which World Class players might take a hit to their reputation? Because a World Cup can do that to do you. Johan Cruyff was a talented sod who had already won European Footballer of the Year twice by 1974. But when you talk about his position among the greats, where do you point? The 1974 World Cup, of course. Quite simply, to go down as a true legend you have to do it at a World Cup. (Or play for a country that don’t play at the World Cup, so people can’t say you bottled it on the big stage) Its perfectly possibly that despite the struggle that their countries had to get to the World Cup itself, this might be the tournament where Messi and Ronaldo take the step up and become true giants. Because they might be the best in the world at the moment, but they aren’t quite on that level of alltime greatness just yet. And don’t be fooled by their qualification – Holland barely qualified for the 1974 finals afterall. Another way your reputation could change, could be your talented players make the step up to the level of World Class. Take Riquelme at the last World Cup. Alright his reputation has taken a bit of a hit since (Is there any club side that he can fit into?) but think just how good he looked in Germany. Argentina (all to briefly as it turned out) looked like they were going to waltz to a World Cup led by the best passer of the ball we’d seen in years. Fabio Canavarro too, had a wonderful World Cup, and really took it up to the next level. He might have had a bit of an indifferent time since, but he’s always going to be remembered as a great player because he did it on that stage. I don’t know who might make that kind of step up at this World Cup, thats the exciting bit. My hope is that it’ll be the tournament where Wayne Rooney steps up. He’s having an amazing season, but his World Cup record, well, its chequered what with the whole being-sent-off-last-time thing. But I know you guys might have some other ideas, you always do. So who do you think its going to be, that makes a name for themselves in South Africa?

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Team Canada vs. Team USA: A lot at stake in tonight's Olympic hockey Border War

MAMUDU, Your February 21, 2010 issue of Sporting News Today is now available, please click here. Here are some articles in Today's Issue Who has the edge? Custance on strengths of Team Canada, Team USA 12 pages of Olympic coverage: Ohno sets medal record, plus late results Saturday on the hardwood: Patterson delivers for Kentucky, Florida stays alive Butler states its case as top mid-major 10 top NFL players face the trading block, waiver wire If you experience any problems with your issue, please click here to contact our customer service department. Know a friend who might like Sporting News Today? Email him/her this link: www.sportingnewstoday.com.     Trouble Viewing? If any of the above links do not work for you,   copy and paste this URL into your browser:   http://today.sportingnews.com/t=c/?1&122295&157807&19130&0000&1236490707&EIInjEOx9cS45     Please do not reply to this message. Questions may be submitted to Digital Support.   To stop receiving email notifications for digital issues of Sporting News Today,   click here.   Sporting News Today 120 West Morehead Street Suite 200 Charlotte, NC 28202