2014 Page 33 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Everything You Need To Know About Every World Cup Team
Here's your full World Cup preview hub, where you can find our breakdowns for all 32 teams throughout the tournament. ...

Your Ultimate Guide To Streaming Every World Cup Match Live
Want to watch the World Cup? We're here to provide you with the ultimate, comprehensive guide to watching every match of group play—either on a television, computer, or mobile device....

World Cup Group H Preview: A Dark Horse, A Couple Mules, And A Goat
Here's your Group G hub and open thread where you'll find our previews and predictions....

How Russia Evolved Into One Of The World Cup's Most Dangerous Teams
Russia's march to Brazil began at the Euro 2012 tournament in Poland/Ukraine. The Russians, led by Dutch manager Dick Advocaat captured the attention of Europe with a comprehensive 4-1 thrashing of the Czech Republic in their opening game. The free-flowing, explosive Russian attack, a product of Ad...

The Brilliance And Madness Of Dutch Wizard Johan Cruyff
From Eduardo Galeano's classic, now available as an ebook. We'll have excerpts throughout the week....

Hey, At Least Getting Bashed In Group Play Won't Break Algeria's Heart
Algerians, like many former French colonies, are used to watching some of their most promising potential internationals playing for the old rulers. Algerian fans will probably cheer Karim Benzema due to the French-born striker's Algerian heritage. They might also rue, or maybe sardonically snicker a...

What FIFA Gets Right About Nationality
In April, Manchester United midfielder Adnan Januzaj finally picked his country. The oddsmakers were right, and he selected Belgium over a palette of other national shirts: Albania, Serbia, and Kosovo (through his parents), Turkey (through his grandparents), and, if you asked the English, maybe even...

Three Days Out, The World Cup Stadium In Manaus Is A Disaster
That photo up there is from Arena Amazonia in Manaus. The turf is patchy, sandy, and as acknowledged by the groundskeeper, in no way ready to host soccer, let alone a World Cup match. Too bad, because the crucial opener between England and Italy is on Saturday....

The Hater’s Guide To The 2014 World Cup
Soccer! Football! The Beautiful Game! OL’ NETTY! Yes, it’s time again for 31 contending nations (plus England) to gather together for the World Cup. Now, soccer people (very much to be confused with pod people) will remind you that the World Cup is the most popular sporting event in the world. ...

Here Are Some Fun Ways To Lose Money Betting On The World Cup
The FIFA World Cup is Earth's single greatest sporting event. It also happens to be Earth's best excuse to gamble at noon on a weekday for no reason passing degeneracy. And given that the World Cup is the rest of the world's Super Bowl, and any Super Bowl-level event is at its heart a chance to make...

Which Teams Will Be Having Sex At The World Cup?
It's a long-held myth that athletes should refrain from sex before a competition, for fear of exhaustion or a lack of testosterone. Nearly all scientific studies agree that there's no danger, but the belief persists. To that end, managers for a number of countries have banned their players from havi...

Can South Korea Make Another Surprise Run In Brazil?
South Korea are one of Asia's traditional soccer powers. They and Japan have bossed the continent for decades now, coasting to World Cup to World Cup, where they've tried to prove that Asia's got real talent. In Brazil, South Korea have a chance to once again show that though Asia's a historically w...


Let's Stop Calling Belgium A Dark Horse
It's not a perfect fit, but Belgium are the closest thing we have to a true dark horse in this World Cup. They won't step onto the pitch as a mysterious bunch of kids in cleats—indeed, the whole reason they are so intriguing is because everyone expects these Belgians to be running things in a few ye...

Watch Famous World Cup Goals In Gorgeous Painted Animation
Just by its nature, each World Cup is more certain to produce indelible moments than just about any other sporting event we have. Here are a bunch of the best, animated beautifully by Richard Swarbrick....

Basketball Doesn't Get Much Prettier Than This Spurs Possession
Smack dab in the middle of the Spurs' transcendent first half from Game 3 of the NBA Finals was this possession, which is about as good as a basketball possession can get....

World Cup Group G Preview: Let's Just Kill 'Em And Get Breakfast
Here's your Group G hub and open thread where you'll find our previews and predictions....

Germany, Now Ravaged By Injuries, Should Still Walk The Group Of Death
It wasn't too long ago— a few weeks, maybe—that Germany looked a lock to travel down to Brazil and cut a bloody path through the World Cup. Then came the injuries. ...

Can Ghana Break American Hearts Once Again?
Ghana locked up a spot in Brazil by first cruising to the top of their African qualifying group, then demolishing Bob Bradley's Egypt over 2 legs by an aggregate 7-3 score line. The Black Stars allowed only 6 goals in their 8 qualifying games, while scoring 25 of their own. They were led by veteran ...

Portugal's Eusébio Was As Gifted On The Pitch As He Was Important Off It
From Eduardo Galeano's classic, now available as an ebook. We'll have excerpts throughout the week....