Sports Notes - Mourinho No, Capello Go - Beckham Wondering - December 2007

FABIO CAPELLO - http://realmadrid.pl photo Jose Mourinho - Mark Freeman from Hornchurch, UK photo - Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License David Beckham's England career over? photo osakasteve Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License KAKA - Reto Stauffer photo PELE - Reto Stauffer photo RAVY KHEK - NR photo HAKEEM OLAJUWON was the first IMPACT International player - Maxi Basket photo Tim Duncan and Tony Parker grace the front Cover of Commemorative Publication, Courtesy of San Antonio Express-News

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

KAKA FIFA WORLD PLAYER - NR's INTERNATIONAL NBA ALL STAR TEAM - STEROIDS IN MLB (MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL) - CAMBODIA'S KHEK FIRST TO BE CONVICTED - FIFA TOP 10

Wednesday December 26, 2007

THE SHOULDA, WOULDA COULDA STORY

Jose Mourinho was the right man for the England manager's position but the special one chose to take his name out of the running without an explanation. Speculation is that he didn't want the high pressure job and the overwhelming media interfering that goes with it.

Proof evident is the press hounded him days before his was offered the position. They went to his home to which he came to meet them at his gate. They pressed on for answers and he told them the truth that he wasn't (at that time) offered the job. Mourinho was patient until almost exhaustion. He then excused himself and explained that he wanted to return to his TV and watch a football game.

The England FA thought, and thought and thought some more and finally they later offered Mourinho the post but he said no. The FA then passed the torch to the well respected Fabio Capello whom they eventually appointed. Capello has an exceptional record at the club level but he also has a reputation as being tough to deal with… ask David Beckham.

It was Capello who sat Beckham down at Real Madrid due to a still undisclosed reason. Club moral suffered. After numerous complaints Beckham eventually returned to the lineup at the end of last season. He then made the big move to the LA Galaxy and the MLS. Perhaps the MLS owes a debut of gratitude to Capello since his Beckham problem in a way resulted in it being a gold mine for the MLS.

Capello's lack of a command of the English language could be a detriment in communication with the national side though he said he is committed to learn the language. At present the results are…. England remains on shaky ground.

Though Capello is a great coach the question remains is he the right fit for the job. Can he do the job at the national level? Given past history it's almost certain that Beckham's national career is over. The biggest question is what is up Mourinho's sleeve? Where will he…. As Gloria Gaynor sang…. SURVIVE? Place this experience in the shoulda, woulda, coulda file.

Kaká FIFA World Player

Kaká is the male FIFA World Player for 2007. He received the prestigious award at the 17th FIFA World Player Gala at the Zurich Opera House on 17 December 2007. Kaká made his debut at the FIFA World Player Gala, Kaká’s triumph is most notably due to his outstanding performances for AC Milan, with whom he won this year’s UEFA Champions League.

The attacking midfielder reaped 1,047 points in the vote, in which the coaches and captains of 165 national teams took part. Second place was claimed by Argentina’s Lionel Messi on 504 points, with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo third on 426. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were also making their first appearances at the FIFA World Player Gala.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter presented the now 67-year-old Pelé (a living Brazilian legend, FIFA’s Player of the Century, three-time world champion and a man with more than 1,000 goals to his name) with the FIFA Presidential Award in recognition of his outstanding services to the game.

Barcelona, a club that has always rejected lucrative shirt sponsorship deals, won the FIFA Fair Play Award. Since last year, the club’s scarlet-and-blue shirts have carried the UNICEF logo and over a five-year period, “Barça” will be donating a total of EUR 7.5 million to HIV/AIDS projects run by the United Nations’ Children’s Fund.

FULL STORY

KHEK FIRST CONVICTED

According to the October 30 edition of the Cambodia Daily a front page story noted that current Cambodian Football Federation first vice-president Ravy Khek was the first to be convicted under the country's Law on Monogamy. He was convicted of adultery and fined $250. His wife sued for US $500,000 but was granted only $250 in compensation according to the report. The 2006 law makes unfaithfulness a criminal offense. A prison sentence of up to a year can be imposed for those found guilty.

Khek is recognized as being the person who reestablished national team football in the country following the disbanding of the sport as a result of the Khmer Rouge conflict. He was the federation's first and only president until he was voted out in a 2006 election. Khek was also one of two Secretaries' of State in Cambodia's Ministry of Commerce under the Funcinpec Party.

NBA INTERNATIONAL ALL STAR TEAM

When I first started to cover International players playing basketball in the USA in 1989 I'll never forget the look on some of the faces to whom I asked the about their thoughts on the talent level of International players. The look on former NBA great Bob Cousy's face is one I'll never forget, he looked at me astounded and almost cross-eyed but was professional enough to give me a lucid answer. At the time Cousy was doing broadcasts of the Celtics games as an analyst and commentator. Most notably Cousy said that International players were good on offense but were weak on defense.

At the time Hakeem Olajuwon was the only International player who was making an impact in the NBA. Olajuwon was born in Lagos Nigeria and then attended college in the USA at the Houston University. He is recognized as is Cousy as being one of the greatest NBA Players of All-time.

Fast forward to 2007 and there are currently 60 International players in the NBA coming from 28 countries and territories. Asia is proudly represented by the Houston Rockets Yao Ming who is so popular that he received the most votes numerous times by fans to start in the NBA All-star game. The Milwaukee Bucks first round choice Yi Jianlian of China is gaining the respect of the league by showing great shooting and mobility skills. Three San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli are among the top eight International players.

In the past we listed the top International players in the league. We now select our International All-star team. We are applying the NBA coach's theory that they need eight strong players to interchange as substitutes to make a team work.

Position - Name - current NBA team - Home Country

G Steve Nash - Phoenix Suns - Canada

G Manu Ginobli - San Antonio Spurs - Argentina

G Tony Parker - San Antonio Spurs - France

C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets - China

F Paul Gasol - Memphis Grizzlies - Spain

F Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks - Germany

F/C Tim Duncan - San Antonio Sours - Virgin Islands

F Peja Stojakovic - New Orleans Hornets - Yugoslavia

That's our choice what are yours?

Baseball Steroid Mystery 9 Days before Mitchell Report

Georgia Lawyer, Nick Garcia Cracks Baseball Steroid Mystery 9 Days before Mitchell Report “A Very Big League Of Their Own” Delves Even Deeper Into Baseball’s Steroid History The “Freakonomics” of Baseball

“A Very Big League of Their Own,” written by Georgia lawyer Nick Garcia, was released on Tuesday, December 4, nine days before The Mitchell Report – yet his book came to many of the same conclusions and named many of the same players – all based on his own statistical analysis.

Garcia’s book revealed much of what many baseball fans already knew: Major League Baseball has had a very long history of steroid use, but Garcia says his research shows the use of performance-enhancing drugs could go back as far as 1961 and may have involved iconic names such as Cal Ripken, Ken Griffey Jr., Curt Schilling and Nolan Ryan. He even traces steroid use back to the first admitted user ever, who will shock everyone.

Garcia also alleges that MLB conducted a multi-year steroid-testing policy and enforcement that resulted in racially uneven disciplinary measures. He backs that up with statistical data, including that in 2005, sixty percent of MLB players were white, but since then MLB has suspended 16 minorities and only two white players for testing positive for steroids.

A lawyer, baseball junkie and statistics guru, Garcia employs his Theory of Roidactivity to reveal incredible spikes in the stats of players who have been implicated with steroid use. The book, which is available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and at BooksAMillion.com, takes readers into the shocking truths of MLB and into the dark secrets held by many of America’s baseball idols. Garcia is well versed in his research and proof – and he lays it all on the line.

Former Senator George Mitchell’s 409-page report, released Thursday (December 13), describes in detail performance-enhancing drugs throughout America’s pastime – abuse that was ignored by players, commissioners and coaches throughout the major leagues. Garcia’s book came to many of the same conclusions as did Mitchell’s report, but he goes back further – as far back as 1961 – and raises suspicion with some of the major icons of the game such as Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, Cal Ripken Jr., Ken Griffey Jr. and Joe Morgan.

Garcia was born in Key West, Florida in 1968. He attended Vanderbilt University, received a B.S. in accounting from Auburn University and a law degree from Georgia State University. He currently lives and works in Fayetteville, Georgia.

(Business Wire)

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