| Six FC Thun players accused of having sex with minor
THUN: Swiss authorities on Tuesday accused six current and three former FC Thun soccer players of having sexual relations with a minor. Five other individuals, who are not soccer players, also have been accused, the office of the investigating magistrate of the Bernese Alps said. Most of the suspects acknowledged they had sexual relations with the girl, the magistrates office said. The accusations opened a formal case against the individuals, after police of canton (state) Bern last week temporarily arrested a dozen FC Thun players and others on suspicion of having sex with a 15-year-old girl. Under Swiss law, the action formally opened criminal proceedings against the suspects. Should the prosecutor then conclude there is sufficient evidence, formal charges could be brought. Authorities identified none of the men by name, in line with Swiss privacy laws.
Knights in national spotlight
With the Rutgers women's basketball team playing nationally or regionally televised games at least twice a month all regular season, I started thinking about what these big games can do not only for the Scarlet Knights program, but also the sport of women's basketball as a whole.
RU plays on the big stage 12 times this year, including three of the five games that the Knights have played so far this season.
The increased exposure is due to a few factors: the team's heightened profile following last season's finals appearance and the fact that 12 of the Knights games are against preseason Top 25 opponents. In fact, the Dec. 30 game versus Temple on ESPNU is the only televised matchup that does not involve one of the aforementioned ranked opponents.
Playing in to both the toughness of RU's schedule, as well as the increase of TV time for the Knights, is the strength of a Big East Conference that sent eight teams to last year's NCAA Tournament.
Crew caps season Tuesday with Tecos exhibition
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Crew will officially close out its 12th season on Tuesday (Nov. 13) when it plays host Tecos UAG of the Mexican Premier Division in an international exhibition at Crew Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday's match will be broadcast live exclusively via webcast at TheCrew.com, with Neil Sika on the call. The game is included in all Gold-level Crew Soccer Nation memberships, designated as Special Game "C." Tickets - priced at $12 adults/$10 youth (south end), $17/$13 (north end), $20/$15 (upper sideline), $24/$17 (lower sideline) and $37/$27 (club seats) - are on sale at the Crew Stadium Box Office, all central Ohio Ticketmaster retail locations, via Ticketmaster phone at 614-431-3600 and on-line at TheCrew.com. Group pricing is available and may be acquired by calling 614-447-CREW.
Redskins' Taylor dead after shooting at home
ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder's eyes were red. His voice cracked and was barely audible. Next to him sat coach Joe Gibbs, barely more composed.Safety Sean Taylor's violent death had left his team in tears and the NFL in mourning."This is a terrible, terrible tragedy," Snyder said.Taylor died early Tuesday of a gunshot wound from an apparent intruder, a tragic end for a 24-year-old man whose life was transformed by the birth of a daughter 18 months ago."We're going to miss him," Gibbs said. "I'm not talking about as a player. I'm talking about as a person."A day earlier, Taylor and his girlfriend were awakened by loud noises, according to family friend Richard Sharpstein, who learned the details from Taylor's girlfriend, Jackie Garcia. He said Taylor grabbed a machete he keeps in the bedroom for protection.Someone then broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots, one missing and one hitting Taylor, Sharpstein said.
NFL notes
EAGLES: Quarterback Donovan McNabb will miss Philadelphia's game today against New England because of a sprained ankle and injured thumb.
McNabb hurt the thumb on his throwing hand early against Miami last Sunday and left after injuring his ankle in the second quarter. He has not practiced all week.
A.J. Feeley, who led the Eagles to a pair of touchdowns in a 17-7 win over the Dolphins, gets the start for underdog Philadelphia.
McNabb has started every game since returning ahead of schedule after a torn knee ligament ended his season early last year. Injuries ended his regular season three times in the past six years. The Eagles are 13-8 without him, including 1-1 in the playoffs last season.
Feeley will make his first start since he led Miami over Cleveland on Dec.
Winning football games requires a true team effort
You hear the buzzer and look up at the scoreboard, and it isn't in your favor. Your body feels sore and your spirits broken. That is how I felt on my last football game as a junior. I play football for the Madison Academy Mustangs, and we lost to Leeds High in the first round of the playoffs. Football is probably my favorite sport because of the way the team pulls together. In other sports, you might win with a few good players, but not football. Your team must be solid. If the line doesn't block then the quarterback can't throw the ball. If the quarterback can't be accurate, the wide receiver doesn't get catches. If the running back can't get positive yards, then the offense must look elsewhere to score. You have to be a well-oiled machine to be a great team.
Bend It Like?Blanco
The Chicago Fire striker, like Beckham, has amped up pro soccer's star power. Plus, he's pulling in Latino fans
It was David Beckham, the fair-haired English midfielder, who garnered all the headlines early this year when he came to the U.S. to ply his trade for some $250 million over five years, including endorsements. But as American pro soccer has come of age this season--at least financially--the player most responsible isn't Beckham. Instead, it's Cuauhtemoc Blanco, a fiery striker who grew up in a barrio outside Mexico City. With an explosive season, Blanco has helped boost attendance across Major League Soccer (MLS), with the draw for his own Chicago Fire rising 60%, to 16,000 people a game. .
England's McClaren given boot
England has the wealthiest soccer league in the world, with matches screened across the globe and business tycoons from the United States, Russia and Asia lining up to own the clubs. So why can't England put 11 Englishmen on the field to succeed on the international level? Steve McClaren became the latest coach to pay the price Thursday, getting fired after England's 3-2 loss Wednesday at home to Croatia meant the team failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship. While the likes of World Cup champion Italy, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Portugal will be out to try to take the title away from Greece, England's stars — including David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen — will have to watch the games on TV. The Football Association now has plenty of time to search for a coach who can lift the nation credited with establishing the modern game to the same level.
|
