| Warriors want to drink from big cup
The St. Charles West Warriors hockey team is the first from St. Charles County to advance to the finals in one of the three Mid-States Club Hockey Association playoff tiers four times.After three trips to the Wickenheiser Cup finals in this decade, the Warriors were 0-3 in trips to the finals. But last season, they beat Clayton in a shootout to capture the Founders Cup, the county's first Mid-States postseason hardware.But this year's team has higher aspirations. Like challenging for the Suburban North Conference title and earning the right to compete in the highest playoff tier: the Challenge Cup. First-year head coach Brad Schneider and his two assistants, Bill Heisse and Harris Schiff, want to help the Warriors get to Scottrade Center."It's a nice honor, it's always nice to win that last game, but these seniors had played for the Wickenheiser Cup for two years so they were used to being at the (Scottrade Center) competing for something bigger," Schneider said."As far as the coaching staff goes, that (Challenge) is our goal.
US fans were misled over David Beckham, Pele says
Pele believes US fans were misled about what David Beckham could bring to Major League Soccer. Amid great fanfare, the former England captain was presented by the Los Angeles Galaxy in July, but his greatest impact has been on ticket sales and merchandise. Pele believes Beckham's introduction was "very, very bad" as it raised expectations about what the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder could produce on the pitch. "They announced him as a scorer of goals," Pele said. "He isn't a goal scorer. That was a mistake." After playing an exhibition match in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Wednesday night, Beckham said "everybody in the world knows I'm not a goal scorer." "The Galaxy wouldn't have come out and said that," Beckham said. "Like I said, everyone has got their own opinions.
Youth movement spurs China's Olympic hopes
Spare a thought for Alex Hua Tian -- just 18 years old and the weight of a nation's expectations heaped high on his young shoulders. The Hong Kong-born event rider has yet to qualify for a place in the Equestrian competition of the XXIX Olympiad, but already he is being touted as one of China's gold medal hopefuls. .
Sports flash
PHILADELPHIA � Kelenna Azubuike made a 3-pointer from the left corner with 6.1 seconds left in overtime, giving the Golden State Warriors a 100-98 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. The 76ers had one last chance after Azubuike�s basket, but Louis Williams lost his footing in the lane and turned the ball over. Azubuike�s basket came after Lanphier High School graduate Andre Iguodala gave Philadelphia a 98-97 lead on a runner in heavy traffic with 13.4 seconds left. Iguodala led the 76ers with 26 points, 11 rebounds and five steals. Golden State�s Monta Ellis equaled his career high with 31 points. It was the second tough loss in two nights for the 76ers, who lost Friday at Detroit. �We just have to get a win; we have to do more than just compete,� Iguodala said.
Steelers, NFL should be ashamed of conditions
There is no excuse — none — for the conditions the Pittsburgh Steelers provided for their game Monday Night against the Miami Dolphins. It was a travesty of football and an insult to the NFL, the players, the fans, and anyone who turned on a television in the hopes of enjoying Monday Night Football. It was a disgrace. The announcers kept talking about old-school football and summoning the names of the Chicago Staleys and Canton Bulldogs from the earliest days of the league, but that was an insult to those teams and those times. I've seen old-school football in old Cleveland Stadium in the days before modern drainage and turf science. Those games were played in mud. This one was played in a bog. .
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.
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.
Steelers, NFL should be ashamed of conditions
There is no excuse — none — for the conditions the Pittsburgh Steelers provided for their game Monday Night against the Miami Dolphins. It was a travesty of football and an insult to the NFL, the players, the fans, and anyone who turned on a television in the hopes of enjoying Monday Night Football. It was a disgrace. The announcers kept talking about old-school football and summoning the names of the Chicago Staleys and Canton Bulldogs from the earliest days of the league, but that was an insult to those teams and those times. I've seen old-school football in old Cleveland Stadium in the days before modern drainage and turf science. Those games were played in mud. This one was played in a bog. .
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