Today’s Stories

Today’s stories include: Child-eating Golfers, World Cup Soccer in the US.

Plus links to: Monica Seles retires, the man who brought you Daytona live on television, Terry Bowden discusses the recent signing day winners and loser, the piling on over Indiana’s Coach Sampson.

Scary Mexican Golfer

Lorena Ochoa holding the cup for the Women’s British Open

Josh Peter of Yahoo! Sports says the Lorena Ochoa is an enigma.

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – This is where you come to solve one of golf’s great mysteries.

This is where you come to meet the real Lorena Ochoa, the one hidden beneath the Banamex cap and the I’ll-eat-your-young-if-you-get-in-my-way look she wears during tournaments.

Really now? How long till he has to apoligize for that comment?

US Soccer to bid for World Cup

Australian Soccer Fan — a typical fan btw.

Seems some are convinced that the US will attempt to get the 2018 World Cup.

Officially, America’s soccer governing body has not even confirmed that it will apply to host the tournament, but don’t be fooled. U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati started to show his hand last week and early indications are that the federation will throw its full weight behind a campaign aimed at staging soccer’s greatest event for the second time.

A second time? When was the first?

The 1994 World Cup in America still holds the overall attendance record for any World Cup, despite having only 24 teams and fewer games than every World Cup since.

Well we do rock. Even a sport we don’t really care about, we break records.

Anyway the FIFA rotations was modified — do they ever not screw things up — last year.

The FIFA rotation policy that took the 2010 World Cup to South Africa and the 2014 World Cup to Brazil was perfect for the U.S. Everything seemed set up for the tournament to fall into the Americans’ lap since CONCACAF (the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) was the next federation in line for 2018.

However, that all changed on October 29, 2007 when FIFA altered the system. Now, only the previous two hosting federations are excluded from applying – in this case, Africa and South America.

Some are pipe-dreaming about getting the World Cup.

Still need convincing? Well, how about the fact that host nations have an excellent record of success (see France in 1998 and South Korea in 2002), so it would provide the U.S. the best chance of making a meaningful run into the later rounds.

Please, what about the other host nations? Not so much? Like when we hosted it in 1994?

And in a bit of Xenophobia FIFA said it will not allow the English Premier League — how pompous is that — teams play abroad as it might hurt England’s chance’s to get the 2018 World Cup.

LONDON (AP) — FIFA president Sepp Blatter says he won’t let the English Premier League play games abroad and believes the proposal will harm England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup.

The Premier League announced last week its clubs supported a plan to stage a 39th round of games in five countries starting in the 2010-11 season.

But the idea has led to widespread opposition from fans groups and gained little support around the world, especially in those countries expected to host the games. The head of the Asian Confederation opposed it and U.S. soccer federation president Sunil Gulati said he would not accept it without FIFA’s permission.

Who cares if it would increase interest in the game. Amazing how short-sighted are so many in power.

“This will never happen. At least this will not happen as long as I am the president of FIFA,” Blatter, who remains president until 2011, told the BBC on Thursday.

“Those that are richer than the others, they have more responsibility and what the Premier League is trying to do is contrary to this responsibility.”

Wow, nice paternal attitude.

Other Stories

• Monica Seles is retiring from Tennis at age 34
• The man who brought you Daytona
• Piling on Coach Sampson
• Terry Bowden on Football Signing Day

Tags: college football, tennis, monica seles, FIFA, soccer, Premier League, Soccer