Baltimore's World Cup Chances
Last summer, 72,000 fans packed M and T Bank Stadium in Baltimore to watch a "friendly" between Chelsea and AC Milan. This summer, with less than two weeks before Inter ...World Cup Bid 2018/2022
Stephen J. Dubner blogged about a report I wrote about the 2018/2022 World Cup bid a group of Americans has put together. I read comments on the blog and felt ...FIFA: Money, Control, or Both
After goals not given, diving, low scoring, reds for nothing, penalties overlooked, ... of the World Cup, arguably the strongest overall team won the event. Although not totally one-sided, Spain ...Make or Buy?
Barcelona or Real Madrid? Barcelona makes them. Real Madrid buys them. It's a matter of degree of course, but I think the distinction holds. Rob Hughes reports, in anticipation of ...Not a Good Performance Evaluation
The AP headline is: "US soccer pres: We failed to meet expectations." There's not much else in the story, apart from a statement that Sunil Gulati "will likely meet with ...Wake Me Up When We Play Algeria
2-2 vs. Slovenia, and whew! That was the most thrilling tie in American history. We're still alive!! As for the commentary, Ian Darke's performance in the booth validated ESPN's decision to ...Soccer, and Hell Freezing Over
A couple of weeks ago, my undergraduate seminar engaged in a discussion of Michael Allen Gillespie's excellent essay "Players and Spectators: Sports and Ethical Training in the American University". As ...Mega-Events in Developing Nations
South Africa has spent at least $6 billion in preparations for this summer's World Cup. How can a poor but developing country like South Africa afford to host such an ...Decline of Portsmouth... and the English PL
News reports in England imply that Portsmouth Football Club of the English Premier League, perhaps the richest league in world soccer, is within days of bankruptcy. Like an LA condo ...Football vs. Football
While the United States is focused this week on the Super Bowl, a report released today by the consulting firm Initiative states that soccer's Champions' League Final attracted a higher ...
