04/20/24
May 26, 2010
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
Who's up, who's down - newly launched SportsGrid looks interesting . . .
posted by geekyguy at 01:03 PM on May 26, 2010
newly launched SportsGrid looks interesting . . .
indeed it does ... thanks for the link!
posted by Spitztengle at 01:49 PM on May 26, 2010
The USA named their 23-man World Cup Squad today.
This after a weakened team lost 2-4 to the Czech Republic last night.
In related news, Herculez Gomez is an excellent name.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 02:40 PM on May 26, 2010
Unless he's hurt, Bradley is making a big mistake leaving @brianching home for Findley!!! #usamnt #fail (to crib from my tweet)
posted by billsaysthis at 03:28 PM on May 26, 2010
For all the talk that Freddy Adu was going to be the savior of soccer in the USA, where is he these days? I see wikipedia has him listed as being on loan to a Greek team, but haven't heard much about hit lately.
posted by Demophon at 03:39 PM on May 26, 2010
Sports Illustrated has the answer.
posted by yerfatma at 03:50 PM on May 26, 2010
Iconic Paul Henderson sweater for sale The hockey sweater worn during one of Canada's greatest sporting moments is up for auction.
posted by tommybiden at 09:07 PM on May 26, 2010
For all the talk that Freddy Adu was going to be the savior of soccer in the USA, where is he these days?
Drawing the age pension?
posted by owlhouse at 09:23 PM on May 26, 2010
Calling it now: NBA refereeing is going to be the big argument of the next 24 hours after Kendrick Perkins is ejected from tonight's Celtics-Magic game with under a minute to go in the first half for the weakest second technical foul in the history of technical fouls.
posted by boredom_08 at 09:52 PM on May 26, 2010
Calling it now ....
Yup, brutal - but the game was in Orlando.
IMO Dwight Howard is the most effective player in the league when he's motivated, but he does throw 5 or 6 nasty elbows a game ... Kendrick Perkins is an alter boy in comparison, but I am still baffled on how either technical could be called (um, oh yes, the game was in Orlando).
posted by cixelsyd at 12:26 AM on May 27, 2010
Still not clear how Howard didn't get at least a Flagrant 1 for pulling down Pierce from behind-- he didn't even get called for a foul. And the T on Rondo was really the icing on the cake.
posted by yerfatma at 09:13 AM on May 27, 2010
Kendrick Perkins is an alter boy in comparison, but I am still baffled on how either technical could be called (um, oh yes, the game was in Orlando).
Haven't the NBA officials been pretty strict all season long about calling technical fouls if a player argues (out loud) about a previous call?
I thought I read an article earlier in the season about how a lot more of those kinds of technicals have been called.
posted by grum@work at 11:28 AM on May 27, 2010
If they had only called one of the technicals this wouldn't even be a story. The officials got someone ejected for doing absolutely nothing wrong in a Conference Finals game. Hopefully this makes the league take a look at their foul policy or at least the officials calling this game. Judging from the first half this could have turned into a really good game and the officials robbed us of that.
Would anyone but Big Baby go stumbling down the court like that after a concussion? As I was watching it I couldn't imagine it happening to anyone else in the league.
posted by tron7 at 01:06 PM on May 27, 2010
The officials got someone ejected for doing absolutely nothing wrong in a Conference Finals game and this could have turned into a really good game and the officials robbed us of that
Regardless of which team (if any) you were pulling for both of these statements are true.
Even though the officials realize they screwed the Celtics in Game 5 I sure hope that they don't ruin the entire series by trying to even the slate in Boston.
Keep the game in control and let the freaking players decide the outcome !!!
posted by cixelsyd at 01:38 PM on May 27, 2010
I will never understand how no foul is called when a player is hit by an elbow hard enough to be concussed with the reason given that it was an accident. By that standard there would be no more than perhaps 3 fouls called on each side in an entire game. The rules allow for a certain amount of contact, but my assumption has always been that when the contact is hard enough to cause injury, inadvertent or not, unless it is incidental contact initiated by both players, a foul should be called.
If the officials call an even game in Boston on Friday, I am afraid that they will be judged by the standards of games 4 and 5, and they will be accused of favoring the Celtics. David Stern's highest priority in the off-season must be to restore some sense of professionalism and fairness to his officials. What you have now smacks of Doughertyism.
posted by Howard_T at 04:16 PM on May 27, 2010
Freddie Adu went to a Greek club in January with Eddie Johnson. USA9, you will notice did make the travelling squad. Adu did ok with the club but not great, Johnson scored three goals in 3 or 4 playoff games to end the season on a strong run.
Adu is still so young that if he was just coming to people's attention he would be considered young-ish. I think he will be a factor for the USMNT but maybe not until two more years by which time he'll hopeful have owned the notion that playing defense is required for attacking players. Unless you're the target man, and Adu, being under 6 ft. tall, is not a target man.
posted by billsaysthis at 04:23 PM on May 27, 2010
David Stern's highest priority in the off-season must be to restore some sense of professionalism and fairness to his officials.
Professionalism and fairness in NBA officiating? That would be the day.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:34 PM on May 27, 2010
Still not clear how Howard didn't get at least a Flagrant 1 for pulling down Pierce from behind-- he didn't even get called for a foul. And the T on Rondo was really the icing on the cake.
Speaking of Pierce and Flagrant 1s, how about when he shoved Redick into the corner in the fourth quarter? Eh?
posted by boredom_08 at 05:47 PM on May 27, 2010
I'm not sure how they looked at the tape and decided the first technical was legit. They should have taken them both away, though that's probably too much error for Stern's NBA to admit to.
posted by tron7 at 06:09 PM on May 27, 2010
I'm not sure how they looked at the tape and decided the first technical was legit
I agree.
Players aren't supposed to yap at officials, so if the 2nd stood it couldn't be questioned (what could be questioned is how the rule gets applied - Kobe and others seem to have a pass on this). The first call usually wouldn't even be called a foul let alone a technical.
Perkins is still just 1 T away from suspension. If Van Gundy can coach at all, and he can, he'll have someone (Gorsplat) get tangled with Perkins early.
posted by cixelsyd at 08:58 PM on May 27, 2010
Kobe got a talking T tonight, so he must've forgotten his pass.
posted by boredom_08 at 12:16 AM on May 28, 2010
how about when he shoved Redick into the corner in the fourth quarter? Eh?
How is that anything but more evidence for the same argument, that NBA officials both suck and blow? Anyway, Redick probably had it coming.
posted by yerfatma at 08:34 AM on May 28, 2010
I've been impressed by Redick. He's played very well.
So I'll say it - Is Boston going to lose TWO 3-0 series leads in one playoff year?!? It would be pretty funny after all the crap Pierce said after game two.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 05:24 PM on May 28, 2010
Next Suns-Lakers game in LA, when the Suns come out in their orange road uniforms and go into their 2-3 zone, it'll be like watching Syracuse.
The Suns road orange and the Lakers' home yellow are too similar in color to be allowed on the floor together, IMO. Especially since the Lakers look very sharp in their alternate home whites.