Steve Olsen, Pres. Of SportSims.net joins us to talk about the NNR SportSims football league starting soon.  If you would like to participate as HC and GM of a team, email me at [email protected]

 

Tim Bielik, Browns and Ohio State beat writer for the Loraine Morning Journal joins us to talk about the teams.

 

David Kay basketball editor for waterfootball.com joins us to talk about the Cavs and the NBA.

 

Samantha Bunten, Browns and Indians beat writer for the Bleacher Report joins us to talk about the draft and spring training.

 

Also tonight Bob Karlovec will be broadcasting a girls high school playoff game on WOBL.   Tomorrow night he will be broadcasting on WDLW.

 

 

NNR at 6PM EST follows the Moohead show at 5PM on http://mooheadradio.com/2.0/.  Press the Green arrow at 6 for NNR.

Be part of the show by calling the SportSims.net hotline at 216-539-0607.

Join Mr. Moohead  on http://mooheadradio.com/2.0/ after early Cavs games for his post-game chat.

 

 

The archive of the show is available the following day at http://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

 

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits http://fryingpansports.com and was a senior writer for http://NFLDraftDog.com.  He has also published several novels on http://www.eBooks-Library.com/Contemporary/ and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.

He edits http://fryingpanpolitics.org/.  

 

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When it comes to talented footballers there have been many and this XI is by no means definitive. These guys are picked for their footballing gifts rather than achievements, which means there is one or two you might not normally find in fantasy line-ups and as such, there are a few controversial omissions too. There is no denying they are amongst the best to have ever played the game. However this team, if it were to play together it would probably be considered a little temperamental. I’ve gone for a basic 4-4-2 line up, plus a keeper.

Keeper – Lev Yashin

This Polish cat between the sticks was known as the Black Spider because of his black kit and unbelievable ability. He is the only goalkeeper to have been named European footballer of the year. He played for Moscow Dynamo in the 50s and helped them to win five league titles and three cups.

Left Back – Roberto Carlos

Tough choice, but for his attacking flare, apocalyptically powerful left foot and love of a freekick he makes the starting XI. Closely pushed all the way though by Paolo Maldini who is the epitome of Italian football in his defensive solidity.

Right Back – Carlos Alberto Torres

There hasn’t been a better attacking right back in the history of football and of all those that have come close, they were copying a mould set by this guy. He also captained the 1970 World Cup winning Brazil team, you know the one? Yup that one, considered the best team of the modern era ever…

Centre Back – Lillian Thuram

Simply one of the best defenders of all time. He also scored twice for France in the 1998 World Cup 2-1 semi-final victory of Croatia after his side had gone behind. The team went on to win the tournament defeating Brazil in the final. Not bad at all.

Centre Back – Lothar Matthaus

Ok, this might be a little controversial, considering Lothar is remembered mainly as a box to box midfielder. However, he played a-plenty at the back too. And any player described by Maradona as the ‘best rival I’ve ever had’ is a shoo-in.

Centre Midfield – Franz Beckenbauer

Franz would complement Lothar impeccably creating a German spine of efficient ferocity, the two would be almost interchangeable. Nicknamed ‘Der Kaiser’ Franz is the only man to captain and manage World Cup winning sides.

Centre Midfield – Zinedine Zidane

Now for some real flair. ‘Zizou’ is arguably the greatest modern footballer. Gifted, creative, inventive and took France to World Cup (scoring twice in the final) and Euro titles in 1998 and 2000. He has been FIFA World Player of the Year three times and has also won the European Champions League. He is literally ‘the business’ and as if this wasn’t enough he came out of retirement to captain and single-handedly drag France to the 2006 World Cup Final were he scored and was then sent off. His crime was a spectacular head butt to Italian defender Marco Materazzi after he’d goaded Zindane with a lewd insult about his sister. Zidane. Is. A. Living. Legend.

Left Midfield – Garrincha

This guy was amazing. He played for Brazil in the 50s and 60s and was referred to by the people of Brazil affectionately as the ‘Joy of the People’ and the ‘Angel with Bent Legs’. A dribbler extraordinaire Garrincha was born with a deformed spine, a right leg that bent in and a left leg that was six centimetres shorter than his right. Brazil never lost when he and Pele played together. One famous moment for this footballing genius was dribbling past four defenders, beating the keeper then rather than slotting into an empty net waiting for a defender to get back, beating him again and then scoring. He was also along with Pele one of the instigators of what is often referred to as the best three minutes of football ever played, the opening of Brazil vs USSR in the 1958 World Cup Finals.

Right Midfield – Paul Gascoigne

I had to have an Englishman in the line up, and this guy is a one of, and one of the best to have ever played the game. Ok, he played centrally but I’d have him drifting in from the right. Gazza was mercurial in his style of play, able to ‘see’ the game like no one else. And who can forget the tragedy of the 1990 World Cup semi-finals where he received a yellow card and instantly began to sob at the thought of missing the final should England go through. What passion! As it turned out, they didn’t.

Forward – Pele

It’s Pele. Do I need to say anymore?

Forward – Diego Maradona

Diego had ability to burn, but was plagued by a cocaine addiction. Nevertheless his talent is undeniable and the goal he scored against England in the 1986 World Cup, the one where he dribbled past what seemed like the entire team, not the one where he punched it into the net, is among the best of all time. He captained the team to victory in the same tournament.

And that is the starting XI. What a team! As I make it there are four World Cup winning captains and at least three players with serious addiction problems… interesting. The talent, the gifts they had when the ball was at their feet is what we most closely align with them though. Icons of the game each and every one. What a beautiful game!

When not tweaking his fantasy football team John Evans contributes to the two websites Wedding Digest and Gifts Today.

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Lin has had more face time on TV and in print over the last few days than Pres. Obama.  And in my opinion, he is a great story.  But everyone has missed the real significance of the story.

Most analysts are comparing Lin to Tim Tebow.  While the public love for the two players is similar that is the end of the comparison.  Tebow was the most celebrated college player since Archie Griffin won his second Heisman trophy.  Tebow was a first round draft choice.  Lin had been passed around the NBA like a bowl of Fritos at a Super Bowl party.

I compare the Lin story to that of Ram QB Kurt Warner.  Kurt was stocking grocery store shelves before getting a call from the team.  In 1999 he was put on the veteran expansion draft list for the Browns to take when they came back into the league.

People forget Warner had been the MVP of the NFL Europe league.  He had also been very successful in the indoor football league as well.  Despite my screaming at the TV during the broadcast of the Browns stocking draft, they passed on Warner.  As we all know he went on to lead the Rams to a win in the Super Bowl that year.  But he only got his chance when the starter went down in the preseason.  The bottom line for Warner and Lin was they came from nowhere (Sorry Harvard grads) to become a fan favorite.

Warner has proven his Hall of Fame credentials by taking the Rams to two Super Bowls and the lowly Arizona Cardinals to one.  So far Lin is just a great story for the past week.  Only time will tell if Lin reaches the rarefied air of a Warner.  But that is not the point either.

The real point that everyone is missing is that there is a lot of potential talent in both the NFL and the NBA that goes unrecognized and never comes to fruition.  If the starter did not go down, Warner would likely have been a backup at most.

Only the injuries have allowed Lin to get playing time.  Given the lack of practice time the lockout shortened season has allowed, Lin’s talent might never have been recognized.  Only time will tell how good he can become.

The question is how many potential stars has your favorite team missed because they never got a chance to show what they could do?  I would guess a lot.  While he hate to see anyone hurt, when a team finds someone like Warner or Lin, it makes the injury a lot less painful for the team if not for the former starter.

That is what I think.  Tell us what you think.

If you want a different look at Cleveland Sports, join me on the Internet radio version of News, Notes and Rumors M-Th at 6 PM EST on http://mooheadradio.com/2.0/. 

Follow me @NNRonDSN

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits http://fryingpansports.com.  He has also published several novels on http://www.eBooks-Library.com/Contemporary/ and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.

 

 

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All over the globe, there are aspects of life that can make noticeable contributions to the very identity of a particular location, and in England it’s the game of cricket. The sport is popular in various pockets of the world such as Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, the Caribbean and the Indian sub-continent, but in many countries it’s rarely played and sometimes barely even understood. But if you have never really seen what the appeal of it is, perhaps it’s time to try a little harder.

Cricket has been around for centuries, and it’s a huge contrast of a sport. It can be slow-paced and cerebral, yet it can also be wildly exciting and abandoned. On some occasions it rewards patience, yet on others it requires throwing caution to the wind. It has always been thought of as a gentleman’s game, but it produces occasional bouts of ill-temper and gamesmanship that will hit the headlines all over the world.

The rewards in the professional game are plentiful if you get to the top of the tree, but no-one has ever played the game just for the money. Fast bowlers from Pakistan, all-rounders from West Indies and opening batsmen from New Zealand will all tell you it’s the love of the sport that drives them on, not the promise of a hefty pay packet when the game has finished. It’s truly a purist’s pursuit, and that’s why so many people enjoy it.

To be in England when the sun shines

In England, the love affair with cricket goes right back to the birth of the game, and many legends of the sport have become household names over those years. From WG Grace and Jack Hobbs to Ian Botham and Kevin Pietersen, the game has always created superstars, yet it remains a true grass roots phenomenon, and a drive through the nation’s rural backwaters is enough to convince you of its importance.

From Cornwall in the south-west to Northumberland in the north-east, there are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of village cricket clubs which play throughout the summer. Organised matches have been around for hundreds of years, and wherever you are in England on a weekend in July, the chances are you won’t be far away from a local game, so why not stroll over and take a look at what’s going on?

At one time, cricket was the preserve of the very wealthy, but that all changed many moons ago. These days, a village side is likely to feature accountants and gentleman farmers playing alongside bricklayers and electricians, all brought together by the love of this intriguing sport. Next time you visit England, be sure to head for a cricket match and see why this passionate affair continues.

David Rice is a UK writer and a keen fan of cricket. He often attends matches at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. Car hire in the area is affordable, and so is hotel accommodation.

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The Olympic Games is the biggest sporting fiesta in the world, and provides some of the most spectacular action you are ever likely to see, ranging from dramatic recoveries from seemingly impossible positions to majestic dominance from the moment an event begins to the second it is won. Every four years, we settle down to watch the excitement unfold, and here are three of the sports to watch out for at London 2012.

Two-wheeled typhoons

The cycling is one of the most breath-taking events of all in any Olympic Games, and this year promises to be a classic. The Great Britain side swept all before them in 2008, and with home advantage they may be even more dominant than last time around. Of the 18 gold medals awarded in Beijing, eight of them went to UK riders. The London Velopark is located in the Olympic Park itself, and will provide spectators with a wonderful day’s entertainment. If you can’t attend, however, watching the action on a 46 inch LCD TV will prove to be just as much fun.

The fastest on the planet

While there are several events in the athletics programme that will undoubtedly catch the eye, the blue riband is surely the men’s 100 metres final. Last time out, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt shook the world with a staggering run that left his rivals far behind. His winning time of 9.69 seconds was all the more remarkable because he appeared to slow down after 70 metres. His victory propelled him into super-stardom, and the defence of his title in London is one of the most eagerly-awaited events of the 2012 Olympics.

GB United – but only as a one-off

The Olympic football tournament isn’t as high profile as many would like, partly because a significant number of nations prefer to use less experienced players, and partly because the use of players over a certain age is limited by the competition’s rules. The 2012 Games offers one intriguing prospect, however, because Great Britain, the host nation, will be entering a team. In world football England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compete separately, and the individual governing bodies are not usually keen on any amalgamation. When the GB team plays, it might be worth recording it on Freeview recorders, because it’s unlikely to ever happen again.

Needless to say, there are many more sports which will make the headlines during the 2012 Olympics. They include swimming, rowing, boxing and sailing, so the true sports fan will want to see as much action as humanly possible.

 

 

 

David Rice is based in the UK and is a keen fan of sport. He has already invested in a 46 inch LCD TV in readiness for the Olympics, because he plans to see as much of the action as possible. He also plans to look at the choice of Freeview recorders on the market, so he will never miss any of the events.

 

 

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The recent passing away of British racing hero Peter Gethin brought back memories for Formula 1 fans of his victory in the 1971 Italian Grand Prix, the closest race in F1 history.

The famous bout in Monza saw him crossing the line just 0.01 seconds ahead of second-placed Ronnie Peterson, with just 0.61 seconds separating the top five drivers in one of the most exciting ends to a race ever seen.

Over the years, Formula 1 has been the place to experience days of racing excitement like know other. We look back at three more classic F1 races which will live long in the memory and have been firmly cemented in the sport’s history.

Japanese Grand Prix, 1989

One of many classic battles between McLaren teammates and fierce rivals Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost as both went head-to-head for the drivers’ championship going into the penultimate race of the season. Despite sitting on pole, Senna saw Prost race ahead for a five-second lead right at the start but he clawed it back to just one second with seven laps to go in this potentially title-deciding race. Senna took a brave inside line but Prost refused to budge, with both cars sliding into the gravel. With Prost’s car forced into retirement, the determined Senna refused to give up on the title, crawling back to the pits to have his damaged car repaired before eventually storming past new leader Alessandro Nannini on the same chicane on the final lap. He appeared to have rescued his chances of pipping Prost to the championship by crossing the line first, before he was disqualified for failing to properly complete the chicane after his earlier clash with his French rival.

Spanish Grand Prix, 1991

On this occasion, the rain in Spain fell mainly on the track, contributing significantly to a thrilling battle between racing legends Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna. Gerhard Berger Jean Alesi and a young Michael Schumacher made things interesting in the early laps too, with Berger storming into the lead. After a thrilling tussle, Mansell emerged ahead of Senna and the rest of the chasing pack after the pair’s wheels touched and the Brit soon slipped ahead of Berger, while Brazilian Senna spun in the watery conditions, condemning him to a fifth-placed finish as Championship rival Mansell held his nerve for the win.

Brazilian Grand Prix, 2008

In just his second year in Formula 1, British hopeful Lewis Hamilton took his place on the grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix knowing he needed just a fifth place finish to secure the championship title on which he had narrowly missed out the previous season. Lining up fourth with closest rival Felipe Massa on pole ensured a nervous start for the young Briton, while the arrival of rain 63 laps in threatened his title dream further. After changing tyres, Hamilton watched in vain as first Timo Glock and then Sebastian Vettel slipped past him to leave him in a title-crushing sixth place. Massa crossed the line for the win with his Ferrari team celebrating what they thought was also championship victory. But Hamilton persevered and as Timo Glock’s dry tyres struggled in the torrential rain, the 23-year-old snuck past him on the final corner for that all-important fifth place and with it became the youngest ever Formula 1 Champion.

This article has been produced by Activity Superstore, the UK’s leading Gift Experiences supplier with hot deals on experiences right now.

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