cup Page 173 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Last Night's Winner: Bob Bradley's Blamelessness
In sports, everyone is a winner-some people just win better than others. Like Bob Bradley's exclusion of Charlie Davies from the World Cup roster, which, thanks to Davies's overly cautious Ligue 1 side, isn't Bradley's fault....

World Cup Trash Talk Begins: Lionel Messi Is Coming For Your Women
We're about month away from the start of Soccerpocalypse 2010 and that means it's time for entire nations to start trading highly personal insults. Yes, even attempted seduction of another players ex-wife is fair game here....

Bruins Fans Toss Epithets, Foodstuffs, Trojan-ENZ At Flyers Fan
All Adam Gonsiewski, a Simon Gagne jersey-owning Flyers fan, wanted to do was see his team win Game 5 against the Bruins. Instead he was pelted with various (unused?) prophylactics by the rowdy Beantown crowd. Like this one. [Crossing Broad via Philly.com]...

Today In World Cup Jingoism
"Our famous prayer is that the Americans don't make the second round," says South Africa's police commissioner, who doesn't want to deal with the headache of making sure President Obama doesn't get killed, should he visit. Thanks? [NYTimes]...

Abbey Clancy Makes Her World Cup Prediction…
For those of you who prefer not to waste valuable shopping time reading up on the latest football relationships, Abbey Clancy is the lucky model who has long been on the receiving end of Peter Crouch's deep midnight kisses....

A Short Video About The Snazzy New World Cup Ball
Of course, when football was first invented, it was probably played using sheep bladders wrapped in velvet cloaks, or old fishermen skulls....

New USA Kit Looks Good On A Pretty Lady
Today, Nike unveiled the USA's World Cup home jersey. Solid, if unspectacular. To make it more palatable, here it is on a Playboy model. [Playboy] (Page is SFW, just don't click on anything.)...

Pablo The Panda And The Worst Souvenir Ever
I want you, for a moment, to picture Pablo Sandoval's crotch. Now imagine getting smacked in the face with something that spends all day down there....

Last Night's Winner: Rule Breakers
In sports, everyone is a winner—some people just win better than others. Like underdog teams that aren't supposed to win on the road, but now have the advantage in the NHL Playoffs. F*@kin' upsets....how do they work?...

England To Spend World Cup Build Up Sleeping In Tents
In a move commonly known as "the reverse Michael Jackson," England squad members will spend the build up to the World Cup sleeping in strange tents that have less oxygen in them than normal tents....

Let's Shut Down MLS For A Little Bit
USA Soccer's plan was going so well. Let all the Euro players injure themselves in the lead-up to the world cup, and head to South Africa with the only healthy squad. So much for that, Brian Ching....

Americans Ready To Embrace Soccer For 16th Consecutive Year
Yep, the nation's quadrennial fascination with the strange sport it doesn't understand means that once again the U.S. is this close to fully embracing the beautiful game. Any year now.... [CNN]...

David Beckham Tears Achilles, Will Miss Opportunity To Vomit On The Field In Another World Cup
Beckham snapped his left achilles and will not get a chance to sit on England's bench in South Africa. Stiff upper lip, though: "The romantic notion of him seizing the day and inspiring England to glory was poppycock." [Guardian]...

South Africa Receives 42 Million Condoms For World Cup Orgy
Bracing for the influx of prostitutes and ESPN staffers this summer, Britain is doing its part to help prevent the spread of HIV in South Africa, which currently has 5.7 million people infected with the virus. [NYDN]...

Zinedine Zidane: Still Not Sorry About That Headbutt
Now that the Olympics are over it's time to concentrate on the next big international sporting event, the World Cup. So let's start by dredging up the last one and the headbutt that launched a thousand internet gags....

Last Night's Winner: Rich Guys
In sports, everyone is a winner—some people just win better than others. Like the under-appreciated billionaires who brought America's Cup back where it belongs: A snooty American yacht club....

The Africa Cup Of Nations Will Not Runneth Over
Earlier this month, Togo withdrew from the Africa Cup of Nations when Angolan separatists attacked its team bus with machine guns, killing two delegation members. You would think the African Football Confederation would have sympathy. You would be wrong....

Paraguayan Soccer Star Shot In Head, Crime Scene Photos Hit Twitter
Salvador Cabañas—a striker for Paraguay's World Cup team—was shot in the head last night in Mexico. He is in critical condition, with the bullet still lodged in his brain, but that's not going to stop ghoulish rubbernecking....

Just In Case Group Play Gets A Little Stabby
South Africa is going to do everything in its power to make the World Cup safe for visitors. But it never pays to take chances, and now you can buy stab-proof body armor emblazoned with your country's flag....

Togo Withdraws From Tournament After Machine-Gun Attack; 4 Dead, Reportedly
Togo has pulled out of the Africa Cup of Nations, with perhaps other teams to follow, in the aftermath of Friday's attack by Angolan separatists. A backup goalkeeper, two staff members, and the driver all were killed, the Guardian reports....