04/24/24
May 17, 2015
SportsFilter: The Sunday 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.
Garo was in several entertaining local TV ads in south Florida when he played in Miami. As a colorful guy on Dolphin teams that didn't have a lot of flamboyant characters, he stood out easily.
A bit of spinal fortitude was also required, as teams around the league were transitioning from old fashioned kickers who also played a field position and looked like football players to soccer style specialists who often came from other countries and did not look like NFL athletes. These new little guys with the funny names weren't always given the warmest welcome by football traditionalists.
I'm just now reflecting on how many times Shula was involved with notable placekicker moments. Garo's Super Bowl pass, Garo's OT winning kick in the marathon Xmas Day game against KC, von Schamann's misses in the legendary Chargers-Dolphins playoff game, the Snowplow game...
Shula must have loved Garo's accuracy after having to depend on his old straight ahead toe-style PK Lou Michaels in Baltimore, who only made around 50% of his FGA's.
posted by beaverboard at 11:34 AM on May 17, 2015
Australian soccer chairman falls off stage during championship ceremony.
posted by rcade at 02:17 PM on May 17, 2015
Ladies and gentlemen, NBA basketball.
posted by tron7 at 11:04 PM on May 17, 2015
Frank was an old mate of my Dad's. despite the fall, reports today say he's fine.
posted by owlhouse at 11:16 PM on May 17, 2015
Canada beats Russia 6-1 in the IIHF World Championships.
It completed a perfect tournament for the Canadians, as they won every game in regulation, and outscored their opponents 66-15 in the 10 games (including 17-1 in the playoff rounds).
Canada now holds all three official men's ice hockey titles (Olympic, world championship, junior championship) simultaneously. They're the first nation to do so since 2001 (Czech Republic).
The Unofficial World Hockey Championship Belt changed hands six times during the tournament. Russia came into the tournament as the "champs", but then lost it to the USA. The USA then lost a stunner to Belarus (for their second time holding the title in history), before it quickly moved back to Russia, then Finland, then Czech Republic, before finally being won by Canada in the semi-finals (where they will hold on to it until next year's World Championship tournament).
posted by grum@work at 12:22 AM on May 18, 2015
Phil Jones, ladies and gentlemen.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:29 AM on May 18, 2015
It's actually a heady play.
By pushing the ball into the attackers feet, it forces a harder kick than he'd want and (I'm guessing) the keeper gets to it.
posted by grum@work at 11:33 AM on May 18, 2015
That's a fantastic slo-mo shot. What a titanic struggle to get to the ball!
posted by rcade at 12:24 PM on May 18, 2015
Is he wiping his nose as he tries (and fails) to get to his feet? Or is that just an optical illusion/weird spasm that does not have a purpose?
Guess now I know what Gollum playing soccer looks like.
posted by holden at 03:54 PM on May 18, 2015
I can't tell if he was pulling his hand up anyway, but it may have been his right knee that knocked his hand up into his face. In any event, it was an outstanding effort, and grum, the ball went harmlessly out of play for a goal kick.
posted by bender at 05:04 PM on May 18, 2015
Ladies and gentlemen, NBA basketball.
Am I obligated to like Chris Paul? He seems like the spiritual descendent of John Stockton: amazing point guard who is hated throughout the league for . . . "playing with an edge." At least that's what they call it when you're white in the NBA. Paul might just be described as a dirty player. For the sake of honesty and hypocrisy, I loved Stockton.
Phil Jones, ladies and gentlemen.
On Football Weekly, AC Jimbo described it as looking like the March of Progress in reverse.
posted by yerfatma at 07:34 PM on May 18, 2015
Guess now I know what Gollum playing soccer looks like.
"Phil Jones Face" is a thing...
posted by Mr Bismarck at 07:39 PM on May 18, 2015
Am I obligated to like Chris Paul? He seems like the spiritual descendent of John Stockton: amazing point guard who is hated throughout the league for . . . "playing with an edge."
I don't mind the edge, it's mostly the acting that gets me with Paul. Every single drive in the lane sees Paul yelling and throwing his head back like he's being tortured. When they make Chris Paul bobbleheads they should put the yelling face on them so you could re-enact the game. Then there's the throwing up shots from half court in intentional foul situations and chastising the ref when he doesn't get free throws. It's all a bit much even for this unapologetic ref hater.
posted by tron7 at 10:28 AM on May 19, 2015
RIP Garo Yepremian.