The national 11 are headed for South Africa. This week on Only A Game, a report from Team USA’s send off match just ahead of the World Cup tournament. Also, the sometimes weird and frequently wonderful history of the World Cup, and a preview of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Are you looking forward to the World Cup next month but feeling you need to brush up on your soccer knowledge? David Hirshey and Roger Bennett have you covered. In their book, the ESPN World Cup Companion, you can learn everything you’ll need to impress your friends at the office. Bill shares his thoughts on the book.
This week on “Only a Game,” NASCAR’s gas men, jack men, and catch can men compete trackside in the pit crew challenge, Diego Maradona tries to hold it together for the World Cup, and Henry “The Hammer” Aaron gets a big, thick book.
This week on Only A Game, a small golf course in Aceh, Indonesia reopens five years after the 2004 tsunami. Also, Mark McGwire gets all teary-eyed remembering that really great summer of ’98, and Charlie Pierce dissects the week’s sports news.
Author Declan Hill argues that without major changes to security and enforcement, the game of soccer will be forever damaged by criminals’ efforts to fix games around the world. Bill Littlefield shares his thoughts on The Fix: Soccer and Organized Crime.
Only A Game’s Ken Shulman reports from an exhibition cricket match at the Longwood Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Ironically, the Longwood Cricket Club hasn’t hosted a cricket match in 75 years. Fortunately for these cricketeers, the wait is over. Click here to see more pictures from the exhibition match.
Bill Littlefield comments on author Dave Fromm’s cleverly written, Expatriate Games: My Season of Misadventures in Czech Semi-Pro Basketball , a personal account of Fromm’s experience playing semi- professional basketball in Prague. From dealing with the language barrier to trying to adapt to life in the Czech Republic, Expatriate Games, promises to be an entertaining read.
The U.S. soccer team will face off against Cuba this Saturday in Havana for a World Cup qualifying match. While the team and a few U.S. journalists have been granted permission to land on Cuban soil, U.S. soccer fans won’t be able to see the game. Bill Littlefield explores the reality of politics and sports [...]
This week on Only A Game, more questions concerning horse racing safety after the breakdown of Eight Belles at last weekend’s Kentucky Derby. Also, the spectacular and dangerous world of sumo wrestling, and will Philadelphia see its first sports championship in a quarter century?
Ken Shulman visited a sumo match in Japan to find out about the tradition and pageantry that goes along with the ancient form of martial arts. Check out some of Ken’s photos from his time spent taking in the sport.
