The 2014 World Cup will place a tremendous amount of pressure on a number of major stars, among those is Argentina's Lionel Messi. Considered the best player in the world, Messi is often omitted from the conversation about whether or not he is the greatest soccer player of all time, and faces a similar situation that Diego Armando Maradona faced in the 1986 FIFA World Cup held in Mexico.
"Loving and Longing" is the title of pianist Yoonie Han's latest album and she gave the audience at the Harvard Club of New York City a taste of some of its selections this past Tuesday.
In 2006, Italy became an improbable World Cup champion. The team was known for having an impenetrable defense, but was also suspect for giving up a lot of scoring chances to the opposition. Fortunately, the team had arguably the greatest goalie the world at the time manning the nets. Buffon was given the Golden Gloves at the tournament for being the best keeper, an award that he amply deserved.
Zinedine Zidane. A living legend. But also a polarizing one. France's eternal superstar and one of the greatest players to ever put on the boots proved to be the hero for his country in one instance and its antihero in another. Zidane's great World Cup career took place over the course of two tournaments.
In 2009-10 Tim Thomas went from being the hero in the Boston Bruins net, to being the backup to a youngster known as Tuuka Rask. Rask was seen as Boston's goalie of the future and few could blame him. Thomas was in his late 30's while Rask was in his early 20's. However, Thomas was coming off a Vezina-winning season the year before and many had expected him to hold the fort a bit longer for the Bruins. He was pushed back into the backup role throughout 2009-10 and it seemed like the team would cut ties with him during the summer. It turns out the Bruins made their best move of recent times by sticking with Thomas and giving him one final chance. And he made the most of it. Not only did Thomas reclaim the top spot in the Bruins' net, but he led them to the promised land for the first time in several decades.
The NHL Conference finals got underway this past weekend, an indication that the Stanley Cup playoffs are already halfway finished. The playoffs are always a time for major players to step up and lead their teams on stellar runs to the promise land. Over the last few years, a number of major star players have managed the feat. One of them has been Los Angeles Kings' goalie Jonathan Quick. He was the Conn Smythe winner in 2012 for helping the Kings make history as the first eight-seed to win the Cup. Here is a look at Quick's phenomenal postseason.
Back in 1970 Gerd Muller scored 10 goals in the World Cup. Since then only one player has come anywhere near that standard. That man was the great Ronaldo, who managed eight goals in that tournament and holds the record for highest scoring player in World Cup history with 15. Ronaldo did not earn the Golden Ball for his performance in 2002; that honor was given to the nearly impenetrable Oliver Kahn. But Kahn, who had been dominant throughout the first seven games of the tournament (he only conceded one goal in that span), met his match in the decisive match and allowed not one, but two goals against the superstar forward.
The World Cup is a showcase for some of the best teams in the world, but also one in which the major stars make get a chance to express themselves to billions of people. The 2010 World Cup featured a number of brilliant superstars playing their best soccer. Uruguay's Diego Forlan managed to win the Golden Ball for a sizzling performance as he led his nation to the semifinals. Wesley Sneijder was the star behind the Netherland's finals berth while Thomas Muller was a major breakout star for Germany in their third place finish. But the performance of the tournament would go to Spain's top goaltender Iker Casillas who became the backbone of a team that won with a team-first mentality.
A look at the Anaheim Ducks 2013-14 Season. The Western Conference champions. A team with a Hart Trophy Candidate. Two solid goaltenders that could take the team on a deep run.
The New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens will face off in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 1996 when New York won the series in six games. However, there is a great deal more at stake this season as both sides will do battle in the Easter Conference Finals.
The Spanish League title will be decided on Saturday when Atletico Madrid and Barcelona face off at the Camp Nou. Los Colchoneros were seen as the favorites to take the trophy, but slip-ups in recent weeks have given Barcelona a chance to lift the trophy on home turf with a win.
On Tuesday May 13, Spain's manager Vicente del Bosque announced his preliminary squad for the national team. The roster featured most of the mainstays from last year's Confederations Cup roster.
The Minnesota Wild was always considered a dark horse to make a deep run into the playoffs. Despite possessing some high-end talent and youth, there were questions about the side's experience and goaltending and whether it could overcome these deficiencies to be a potential contender. Those questions were answered on Tuesday May 13 when the side was eliminated from contention in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals. Here is a look at some of the best and worst moments of the team's 2013-14 season.
Since the inception of the Presidents Trophy in 1985-86, only seven of the winners have managed to become Stanley Cup Champions. The Boston Bruins earned the honor during the 2013-14 season but were unable to become the eighth Presidents trophy holder to win the Stanley Cup champion. The team was eliminated in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Montreal Canadiens. Here is a look at the highlights and low points of the Bruins' season.
Another season. Another choke from the Pittsburgh Penguins. While they are no where near the level of the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals in terms of choking, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins are building quite a resume. Here is a look at the highs and lows of the 2013-14 season for Pittsburgh.
For the last few years, Spanish soccer has prided itself on dominant midfield play. While Barcelona was the earliest adopter of this style, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have caught on and have a crop of impressive midfielders. But which side will dominate the midfield in the Champions League final? Here is a comparison between the two contenders.
Group H is one that is passing under the radar as it does not contain any of the major contenders. Belgium and Russia are seen as favorites, but the group also contains South Korea and Algeria. The latter side has a huge task on its hands as it is undoubtedly the least favored side in the tournament. Can the Algerians surprise the world and make a run at the knockout rounds?
Some will certainly complain about the implausibility of the climactic twist, but this film is so highly stylized that it is not likely that anyone could mistake it for realism. Instead the film digs a bit deeper from a psychological standpoint. Speaking in Freudian terms, "The Double" externalizes the subconscious battle between id and superego in attempts at realizing a fully mature ego.
Game 7 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and NY Rangers is on the horizon. The Rangers managed a shocking comeback in Games 5 and 6 after looking listless against a dominant Pittsburgh side. But the Penguins have seemingly capsized and no player has been more emblematic of that fall than Captain Sidney Crosby.
Four years ago, the African nations bonded around one country in the World Cup knockout rounds. Despite hosting the tournament for the first time in the event's history, the African nations continued to struggle in the group stage and only saw one of its neighbors manage a berth in the round of 16. That nation was Ghana and it carried the hopes of a continent. Despite falling short, the run was one of the most impressive in Africa's history. Ghana is arguably the best African side at this year's World Cup in Brazil, but the team is faced with a monumental group to overcome. Can Ghana prove to be among the world's elite in 2014?
On Wednesday evening it all seemed like the NY Rangers were going to exit the Stanley Cup playoffs. The team had been thoroughly dominated by Pittsburgh Penguins in Games 2, 3 and 4; the Rangers had only managed to score one goal in three games and looked listless in Game 4. In that game, the Rangers struggled to create any cycle in the Penguins zone and only recorded 15 shots on goal. For their efforts, they were serenaded with boos by their fans. Fast forward to Sunday evening and the Rangers had accomplished the seemingly impossible. The team had forced Game 7 and now have Pittsburgh right where they want them. Why? Because the Rangers are arguably one of the best Game 7 teams in recent history.
Offense wins game. Defense wins championships. That old saying transcends all sports when referring to a team's ability to make a run in a tournament. Defense has played a huge role in the Champions League runs for both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. But which side has the better defensive setup? Here is an analysis of how the team's top defenders compare.
"Neighbors" is everything you would want out of a summer movie. While admittedly unrealistic in some of its wilder antics, the film manages to blend hilarity and entertainment with some emotional depth and unique characters. The performances, particularly that of Efron, are top-notch in every respect.
