jessie rosemont's blog

Eliminated Germany lose first Women?s World Cup match since 1999

In addition to hosting the tournament, Germany had won the previous two Women's World Cups and hadn't lost a match in the tournament since getting knocked out of the quarterfinals in 1999. They didn't even allow a single goal in the entire 2007 WWC, so their position as favorites this time around was almost universally taken for granted. Yet, an underrated Japan team played brilliantly to knocked them out in the quarterfinals with a monumental 1-0 extra time win that could very well be the biggest upset in the history of the women's game.

Karina Maruyama broke the scoreless deadlock in the 108th minute with a great goal from a difficult angle to give the Japanese, who have enjoyed tremendous goodwill and support in Germany in the wake of the earthquake that devastated their country a few months ago. Germany struggled with Japan's ability to maintain possession throughout the match and couldn't come up with an equalizer before extra time ran out. Japan will now play the winner of Australia v Sweden in the semifinals.

So how are the Germans, who have set attendance and TV ratings records with their support of this tournament, taking the loss? Here's the snap headline from German tabloid Bild...

Since Fraus is the goddess of treachery in Roman mythology and the origin of the word "fraud," I'd say they're not taking it well.

UPDATE: Our German speaking friends say that it's also a word play on "frau" (woman) and "raus" (out).

The German team hold up a banner thanking their supporters after the loss...

And the Japanese did, too.

Photos: Getty

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Eliminated-Germany-lose-first-Women-s-World-Cup-?urn=sow-wp3162

Juan Manuel Fangio Julius Erving Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Larry Bird

Wrongful death verdict leaves UCF with $10 million liability, big questions about O?Leary?s future

After more than three years of grief, the parents of late Central Florida running back Ereck Plancher took a step toward some sense of closure Thursday night, courtesy of an Orlando jury:

A jury ruled the UCF Athletics Association was negligent in the 2008 death of football player Ereck Plancher and awarded his parents $10 million.

The group spent about five hours deliberating Thursday night, the 14th day of the Plancher wrongful death trial.

Attorneys representing UCFAA and Plancher's family completed closing arguments Thursday afternoon. The six jurors began deliberation at about 5:30 p.m. Once the group determined UCFAA was negligent and failed to do everything possible to save Plancher's life, it entered the amount of damages it believed should be awarded to Enock and Gisele Plancher, Ereck Plancher's parents. The total was $5 million apiece.

After two weeks of dramatic, occasionally contentious and largely contradictory testimony, the jury declined to find UCFAA guilty of gross negligence, which would have added further punitive damages to the Planchers' award. The association is also responsible for the family's court costs, which could be up to $1.5 million. But a university spokesman confirmed that UCFAA will appeal the jury's decision, and "strongly believe[s] that this will be a quick process because it's very clear that this was the wrong decision."

That process will likely also postpone any answers on the other question buzzing around the trial like a persistent fly: What does the testimony and subsequent verdict mean for George O'Leary's status as head coach? Within weeks of Plancher's fatal collapse at the end of a workout overseen by O'Leary in March 2008, accusations emerged from teammates who charged O'Leary with singling Plancher out for a lack of effort and cursing at him as he struggled through drills. Testimony during the first week of the trial supported that narrative, with multiple players ? including a former team captain ? telling the jury that O'Leary not only cursed at Plancher but ordered water and trainers off the field before the drills. According to former receiver Anthony Davis, "It felt like he was punishing us."

O'Leary, taking the stand as a would-be villain, vehemently denied those charges last week, and was backed up this week by three current and former players and an assistant coach who all insisted water and trainers were available throughout the workout. Against an autopsy and a cardiologist who testified that Plancher died of sickle cell trait, a genetic disorder generally thought to be responsible for the deaths of multiple Division I football players over the last decade ? and for which UCF tests, to identify at-risk athletes ? the defense produced a hematologist who argued on the stand that sickle cell trait can't kill you. When the jury found for the plaintiffs, it was essentially a statement to the university, and to O'Leary in particular, that "We don't believe you."

Up to that moment, UCF has had every reason to stand by its head coach. Not only has he won ? the Knights just took their second Conference USA title on O'Leary's watch, upset Georgia for the first bowl win in program history and finished in the top 25 for the first time ? but O'Leary's innocence in Plancher's death was one of the pillars of the university's defense. The nature of the case required UCF to stand by its man. And with an appeal looming, it may have to continue standing by him for the foreseeable future.

Now that a jury has found against them, though, UCF finds itself with a head coach who (fairly or not) has been legally connected to the death of a player, based largely on the testimony of other players. The same coach who arrived in Orlando with a history of abuse claims at previous stops, and watched another running back leave a workout with acute kidney failure less than a year after Plancher's death. By comparison, the scandal that nearly ruined O'Leary's career ? the infamously falsified resumé that bounced him from his dream job after a few days at Notre Dame ? doesn't even rate. Recruits and their parents don't care about a line or two on a resumé, or even about minor probation. They do care that their sons aren't going to be ridden into the ground by a drill sergeant who thinks it's 1952.

Other coaches have endured similar player deaths ? at Northwestern, Florida State and Missouri, for starters ? without any notable calls for their jobs. But none of them had O'Leary's checkered past, and certainly never faced anything like the accusations the jury heard over the past few weeks. Obviously, O'Leary still has his defenders. Once it's past the appeal, though, UCF has a lot of thinking to do about how long it can keep up the defense.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Wrongful-death-verdict-leaves-UCF-with-10-milli?urn=ncaaf-wp3218

Wayne Gretzky Willie Mays Willlie Shoemaker Wilma Rudolph

Cubs fan?s incredible throw returns Tejada homer to Giants dugout

Over the weekend we saw a very young San Francisco Giants fan doing his best Henry Rowengartner impression, firing a ball from the upper levels of AT&T Park back towards the field of play. It was a great throw for a kid his age.

But on Tuesday afternoon at Wrigley Field, a Chicago Cubs fan who looked to be in his teenage years really did channel his inner-Rowengartner, almost perfectly reenacting the epic movie scene with a rocket throw from his front-row bleacher seat in left field. The ball reached the infield and rolled toward the visiting dugout, which was ironically occupied by the Giants.

The long toss happened during the ninth inning of San Francisco's 13-7 victory in the first game of their day-night doubleheader sweep. Miguel Tejada hit a clothesline that exited Wrigley Field quickly. The fan seen pictured above made a nice grab of the liner without the assistance of a glove and then immediately turned to fire the ball back on the field.

No ball-switching trick for this kid. He meant business.

Watch it here:

The throw actually almost hits Tejada ... on the fly. That's why I'll tell you now that I do not encourage throwing any type of object onto the field of play. So please, don't try this at a ballpark near you.

But WOW! What a throw.

[Let your friends know which game you're watching with IntoNow]

And what a nice present for Tejada. By the time he touched home, the baseball was at the feet of Aubrey Huff, who tapped it back to Cody Ross. Seconds later, he had possession of the baseball he'd just completely annihilated for only his second home run of the season.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Cubs-fan-s-incredible-throw-returns-Tejada-homer?urn=mlb-wp11089

Rocky Marciano Rod Laver Roger Bannister Roger Staubach

Bubba Watson?s popularity not translating in France

There are moments when ignorance really is bliss, like the first time Boo Weekley made it over to the British Open and was a quote machine, famously saying, "It's been rough on the food. Ain't no sweet tea, and ain't no fried chicken."

There are others when not doing your homework, literally, can be insulting. That's the battle Bubba Watson is facing at the Alstom Open de France, his first ever regular Race to Dubai event on the European Tour. Watson, the 12th ranked player in the world, has rubbed the French locals the wrong with with some of his quotes about landmarks and his actions, according to Bernie McGuire.

"I think this might be the only time I play in Europe. I miss my home," Watson said.

"I love France. France is a nice place. Paris is a beautiful city. I went to the Eiffel Tower, to the Louvre, somthing like that, and the arch way, and saw the castle that we are staying next to (Versailles Palace)."

Watson described the Eiffel Tower as 'that big tower' and the Arc de Triomphe as 'this arch I drove round in a circle' and in riding past the Louvre on his motorised push bike, Watson described it as 'a building starting with L'.

There are times when not having a good grasp of culture is cute and sometimes when it is downright insulting, and it seems this would be more of the latter. Calling one of the most famous museums in the world "the building starting with L"? Not knowing what the Arc de Triomphe is?!? These are History 101 type of things you find out about when you're in 7th grade and when you're heading to one of the most famous, and beautiful, cities in the world (and earning six figures to do so), you should at least study up on four or five of their most important landmarks.

What next, calling Notre Dame "that place that them Fighting Irish guys play at"?

Along with his lack of general knowledge, Bubba hasn't been exactly kind to the press and even fellow competitors. McGuire's report says that Watson wouldn't take a head shot from a reporter, telling her, "See my manager," and declined a request by a fellow competitor from Europe to ride with Watson to the golf course, earning a lot of raised eyebrows from the regulars on that tour. On top of all that, Watson has complained about the crowds, saying, "It's not a normal tournament ... there's no security."

I understand being a homebody, and not loving the grinds of travel, especially at an event like this that isn't exactly the European Tour's marquee event, but burning bridges sure isn't going to help you in the future when you might actually need something from someone across the pond.

If all these reports are true, I hope Bubba comes out and apologizes to the French people and puts that great smile on his face the rest of the week, because that's what superstars do. I know he might not want to be one of the faces of golf, but he is, and with that comes some adult responsibility.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/blog/golf_experts/post/Bubba-Watson-s-popularity-not-translating-in-Fra?urn=golf-wp3227

Bob Mathias Bobby Hull Bobby Jones Bobby Orr

Video: Jan Vesely wins the 2011 NBA Draft

I read scouting reports on Jan Vesely. Really, I did. I knew that he's a 6-foot-11 Czech forward who can jump out of the gym and is considered an excellent finisher on the break, that he's been a dismal free-throw shooter, and that he's also considered a capable defender, both on the perimeter and on the block. I'd read that he played with some style.

And yet, I wasn't prepared for him to style so hard on Thursday night. But he did. As soon as the Washington Wizards made him the sixth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Jan Vesely styled all over all of our faces, via his attractive ladyfriend styling all over his. It was wonderful, unexpected and legitimate-laugh-inducing. It was all that we hope the Washington Wizards can be.

Hey, Jan? How do very public displays of affection with your lovely lady in Newark, N.J., make you feel?

Happy, huh? Who can blame him?

Original video and image courtesy of the NBA.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Video-Jan-Vesely-wins-the-2011-NBA-Draft?urn=nba-wp5500

Drew Brees Dwayne Bowe E.J. Henderson Jamaal Charles

Redskins bring fan on the field for player workouts

During the lockout, player-run workouts have been a bit less formal in nature than the OTAs (organized team activities) you'd usually see in the offseason. But the Washington Redskins took "informal" to a new level during a practice this week, when fan Josh Richards was welcomed onto the field to participate in defensive drills.

The former high school defensive back brought his cleats to practice each day as an observer, and when just 23 players showed up on the final day of workouts, Richards got his shot. Linebacker London Fletcher (pictured above) asked a group of fans whether anybody had "brought their stuff," and Richards was the only one to step up.

"I felt like if I had cleats on they couldn't say no," Richards told the media in attendance of his time as an NFL defensive back. "So I went out there and did a few ball drills with the defensive backs. I dropped the first two balls, but after that I didn't drop anymore."

Richards currently works in the athletic department at George Mason University and plays on a flag football team, so this was a bit of a step up. He said that his only disappointment was that he wasn't able to go up against receiver Brandon Banks, whom he uses as inspiration because "he shows that you don't have to be big to be in the NFL. All you need is speed, quickness and desire. And I admire him for that."

Richards helped set up cones for the workouts, and tried to pick up the terminology from the players on the scene, eventually coming off the field to say that "the terminology was pretty crazy."

"He was asking questions so we tried to explain some things to him," said safety Kevin Barnes. "He seemed pretty interested, so we were just helping him out. A few years ago, I was the same way, so I understand exactly where he's at."

Richards wasn't asked to participate in team drills, but that didn't matter ? it was a day he's never going forget. "This ranks pretty high because now I can tell all my friends, I practiced with the Redskins. It could have been during the lockout and an informal practice, but I practiced with the Redskins. It's not going to leave my memory. I'm going to savor this moment."

Let that be a lesson to all you would-be Deions out there -- if you get a chance to head out to a player workout organized by the guys on your favorite team, it's not a bad idea to dust off those old cleats.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Redskins-bring-fan-on-the-field-for-player-worko?urn=nfl-wp2692

Lawrence Taylor Lou Gehrig Magic Johnson Mario Andretti

Griffin, Vazquez winners in final prelims at UFC on Versus 4

PITTSBURGH -- Joe Stevenson lost in a unanimous decision over Javier Vazquez on Sunday night, with the judges seeing it 30-27, 29-28, 30-27.

Early in the first round, Vazquez ducked under a Stevenson punch to get a takedown, but Stevenson used it to grab his arm and pull it into an arm bar. Stevenson couldn't finish it, and Vazquez took over top position. After neither fighter was able to do much on the ground, they were stood up. Again, Vazquez took the fight to the ground, and again, not much was accomplished there.

Stevenson appeared in trouble in the second round when Vazquez jumped on for the guillotine. He could not finish, and the fight returned to stand-up. Stevenson looked sluggish for much of the bout. Vazquez never really took control, but managed to take advantage of Stevenson's lethargy by landing several straight shots.

For Stevenson, this was his fourth loss in a row, but his first fight at featherweight. He hasn't won a bout since 2009, and the wear of a career with 45 bouts appeared to show.

Griffin takes tight decision over Gamburyan

Tyson Griffin took the final decision of the UFC on Versus 4 undercard over Manny Gamburyan, 29-28, 29-28, 29-29.

Gamburyan started strong with a takedown early, and then used that to transition into a standing guillotine. When he couldn't finish that, he tossed Griffin to the ground, and took his back as Griffin stood up. Gamburyan then moved off his back, and finished the round clinching against the fence.

The two got into several violent tangles in the second round, exchanging several big strikes. In one of those dust-ups, Stevenson threw an inadvertent shot to Gamburyan's crotch, pausing the fight for a moment as Stevenson recovered. It happened again near the end of the round, and this time, Griffin seemed upset by the stoppage.

Griffin knocked Gamburyan down early in the third, but Gamburyan quickly returned to his feet. Gamburyan threw Griffin, but couldn't maintain control. Griffin ducked behind and landed several big strikes before Gamburyan maneuvered out. Griffin also used low leg kicks to tenderize Gamburyan's leg throughout the bout, giving him an edge in the bout.

This was Griffin's first bout at featherweight after spending years as a lightweight. He seemed well suited to the move down, staying strong throughout the three rounds.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Griffin-Vazquez-winners-in-final-prelims-at-UFC?urn=mma-wp3989

Robinson Cano Carl Crawford David Price Andrew Bailey

Marquardt off UFC on Versus 4 and cut from UFC

PITTSBURGH -- A representative for Nate Marquardt announced that the fighter was not medically cleared for his UFC on Versus 4 bout against Rick Story. The representative would not disclose the reasons for Marquardt's lack of clearance.

Charlie Brenneman, who was supposed to fight T.J. Grant on this card until he pulled out with illness earlier this week, will now face Rick Story. Pat Barry's bout with Cheick Kongo has been promoted to the main event.

UPDATE: According to this video from UFC president Dana White, Marquardt is not just off the card, but is also cut from the UFC. The UFC VP of regulatory affairs Marc Ratner would not comment on the situation but said that the Pennsylvania athletic commission will release a statement.

Marquardt had been with the UFC since 2005. As one of the first fighters to find success with Greg Jackson, the highly touted MMA trainer, Marquardt went 10-4. He fought for the UFC middleweight title in 2007, but was TKOed by Anderson Silva.

This weekend, he was cutting down to welterweight for the first time as a UFC fighter, and mentioned often how natural the cut felt and that he was more energetic than ever before. The news that he was not fighting surprised the crowd gathered at Heinz Field to watch the weigh-ins, who were given the news via a statement read by UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

Brenneman, a native of western Pennsylvania, was already in shape for his bout with Grant. He gleefully took the scales wearing a Steelers hard hat and made weight with no problem. Now, he will take on Story, who is on one of the UFC's longest win streaks. His six wins in a row put him just behind champions Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva.

Story took the bout on short notice, after Anthony Johnson withdrew because of an injury. Story's last bout was less than a month ago, as he won a decision over Thiago Alves at UFC 130. He didn't seem concerned by the change, as he tweeted, "Marquardt's out Brenneman is in no big deal. I'm here to fight and kick [expletive]."

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Marquardt-off-UFC-on-Versus-4-and-cut-from-UFC?urn=mma-wp3907

Rogers Hornsby Sam Snead Sammy Baugh Sandy Koufax

Kurt Rambis is being let go in a manner that suits David Kahn

It has been proven, through the course of 201 career games, that Kurt Rambis is not someone who should be a head coach at the NBA level.

His rotation choices have been poor. He doesn't properly match his rosters with offensive or defensive sets that suit their skills. He can be frequently seen standing still or saying nothing at all when an opposing offense makes an offensive breakthrough, where most other coaches would stomp and clap and point to the open guy who is leaking out to the corner. In two different stops, he hadn't had the full respect of his players. And whether his team is led by Kobe and Shaq, or Kevin Love and Jonny Flynn, the guy hasn't won. As of this writing, he's still the coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and though it's cruel to be as direct as this, he probably doesn't deserve that job.

But he also certainly doesn't deserve to be treated this way.

Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that Timberwolves GM David Kahn will fire Rambis after Thursday's draft, which is the right course of events done completely the wrong way. As it sits, Rambis will either have to sit through his team's draft (Minnesota has the second overall pick, and thanks to Kahn they're involved in more trade rumors than any other team) and possibly even meet the media to explain why the Wolves went in the direction they went in with the selection and/or trade. Then he'll get the axe. All after being strung along in the nine weeks following the season, all because Kahn was too chicken-[shark!] to do what had to be done the proper way.

Rambis needed to be let go the day after the season ended, or even midway through 2010-11 in order to possibly find some forward thrust for the Wolves as they closed out the year while seeking out a potential long-term replacement. He didn't need to be asked to file some pathetic sort of team report to Kahn, as Kahn demanded, about his hopes and expectations for the terrible roster that Kahn provided him. He didn't deserve to be ignored by Kahn following season's end, in a way that was as unprecedented as it was tactless. And if Kahn is going to fire the guy, then do it now, rather than later. Don't make Rambis, who clearly isn't suited for a head coaching gig, wait yet another event out.

We make fun of Kahn when he puts his foot in his mouth, and we make fun of his moves with the Timberwolves. A lot of it is good fun, most of it is shooting fish in a barrel, and nearly all of it is done with a muted heavy heart. Mainly because Minnesota deserves better than this guy. Those are all jokes, though. Rip jobs, ha-ha turns meant to drive yet another column and/or blog post.

But this? This is just wrong. Rambis performed poorly with the Timberwolves, there's no denying that. He should not be back for 2011-12, and if money was no consideration (and I was in charge) he wouldn't have been back for 2010-11. But if anyone else were in charge, Rambis would have been dealt with properly. With the respect and professional courtesy that he, and any other employee at any level, deserves. And Kahn has failed not only as Timberwolves GM, but in the most basic, human terms. It's one thing to blow a draft pick, or a trade. It's another to treat another person being this way.

Just count the days, Minnesota. For all we know Kahn could pull off a masterpiece of a trade on Thursday, or take in a fantastic player in Derrick Williams. And your team should improve with a new and different coach. Things will be better. But things won't be great, until David Kahn has moved on. Deservedly, in as unceremonious and disrespectful a way as he's handled his working relationship with Kurt Rambis.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Kurt-Rambis-is-being-let-go-in-a-manner-that-sui?urn=nba-wp5421

Ryan Braun Andre Ethier Corey Hart Yadier Molina

Mark Richt joins Greg Schiano’s anti-kickoff bandwagon

Sorry, traditionalists: If you were hoping Rutgers' coach Greg Schiano's recent proposal to eliminate kickoffs would land on deaf ears and slink back into the ether without a second thought, it looks like you're going to be very disappointed. The Schiano Plan — which would replace all kickoffs with a 4th-and-15 situation that would give the kicking team the option of punting or going for a first down from its own 30-yard line — has already gained some traction in the media, and now has the endorsement of another high profile head coach, Georgia's Mark Richt, who told an audience Tuesday that he wouldn't mind seeing the kickoff go, either:

"It is violent," Richt said Tuesday at the Peach State Pigskin Preview. "It is very, very physical. You've got a bunch of guys that can run fast and are strong and they are not afraid, it's kind of a manhood thing. No one's going to back down."
[…]
"The part about not kicking off I think if it went to a vote, I would vote for no kickoff also," Richt said. "I would just place the ball at the 23-yard line or whatever the average has been. I'm sure the defensive coaches would want it on the 18. Offensive coaches would want it on the 30."

Like Schiano, Richt's qualms about the violence of kickoffs comes from direct experience: In 2003, UGA return man Decory Bryant suffered a broken neck during a return, which ended his football career. Schiano's proposal was in direct response to the hit that felled one of his players, Eric LeGrand, who was paralyzed from the neck down while covering a kickoff last October. (Most recently, LeGrand tweeted on Monday that he has "Twitches going throughout the body" and pledged to followers "I will be back.") Richt doesn't expect any major movement to legislate kickoffs out of the game "any time soon" — and such a movement would represent probably the greatest affront to the way the game is played since the forward pass was introduced for similar safety reasons a century ago — but his endorsement is another indication that the idea is far from a dead letter.

In the meantime, the strategic risk/reward elements of Schiano's plan are already proving to be catnip for stat geeks. One of them, Football Outsiders' Bill Connelly, took issue with some pundits' claim that converting a 4th-and-15 from the 30-yard line was easier than recovering an onside kick, and thus more likely to lead to teams electing to play "make it, take it" after a score than we see now with post-score kickoffs. Not so, according to Connelly, whose numbers show that, on average, kicking teams are roughly twice as successful at recovering an onside kick as offenses are at converting a 4th-and-15 between their own 21 and 40-yard line, and that's without separating the dramatically higher success rate of surprise onside kicks from the overwhelmingly futile attempts at the end of a game.

To even out the odds of the kicking team keeping the ball under the Schiano Plan with the current odds, the proposal should revise its recommendation from 4th-and-15 to 4th-and-12 or 4th-and-13 instead. At this point, though — two forward-thinking coaches notwithstanding — we're likely still years away from the cultural sea change necessary to make that kind of detail relevant.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Mark-Richt-joins-Greg-Schiano-s-anti-kickoff-ban?urn=ncaaf-wp2610

Chris Snee Darnell Dockett Donald Penn Drew Brees