league Page 303 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Pete Carroll Bluffs His Way Through Press Conference About Rugby Leaguer
Rumors have had Jarryd Hayne talking with the Seahawks, so at his press conference yesterday, Pete Carroll was peppered with questions about the rugby league star who announced this week he's leaving Australia to chase his NFL dreams. He performed admirably, gushing about Hayne. The Seahawks PR guy ...

Rugby League Superstar Quits To Pursue NFL Dream
Jarryd Hayne is one of the very best rugby league players in Australia. He was just awarded the Dally M Medal, given to the "best and fairest" in the Australian National Rugby League, for the second time in his career. The Parramatta Eels fullback is one of the highest paid players in the NRL, makin...

Player Brutally Punched Out Of Rugby Grand Final Surprisingly OK With It
St. Helens halfback Lance Hohaia, forced to leave Saturday's Super League Grand Final after being concussed by a pair of obscene punches from Wigan's Ben Flower just two minutes into the match, was pretty mellow about the whole event afterward and dismissed it as the sort of thing that happens som...

Rugby Somehow Gets More Brutal-er
It took Wigan's Ben Flower two minutes into today's Super League Grand Final against St Helens to be sent off. The reason? This punch to Lance Hohaia. He earned that red card. Here's the video:...

Champions League Seeding Just Got A Whole Lot Better
Today, UEFA announced changes to the Champions League seeding system. It's smarter, more streamlined, and really, the way it should've been from the start....

Cristiano Ronaldo Likens Ugly Tackle To Rugby; Rugby World Turns Stupid
Cristiano Ronaldo was none too happy about his early exit from last week's Champions League match between Real Madrid and Ludogorets, necessitated by this late challenge in the final minutes. After the game, the winger described the tackle thus: "It was a very ugly tackle and it seemed as if we were...

'Baseball's Bolshevik': Why The Martyrdom Of Curt Flood Still Matters
You’re probably familiar with the story of Curt Flood, the ballplayer whose refusal in 1969 to accept a trade was the first major skirmish in the fight for free agency. You’re certainly familiar with his legacy, which today alone hangs over the news of the NBA’s media megadeal. Retro Report, via The...

Alexis Knocks Chelsea Keeper Out Cold; Keeper Stays In Game
Early in today's match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal midfielder Alexis Sánchez turned to run down a hopeful ball over the top, nearly got on the end of it, and ended his run by plowing his hip through Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois's head. Courtois appeared to be knock...

In England, A Team's Fans Are Sometimes More Powerful Than The Owner
This story is a great example of the fundamental differences between European soccer clubs and American franchises. ...

Turkish Soccer Fans Chuck Flares At Arsenal Supporters
While it's probably true in most sports, saying that a home team "welcomes" away fans to their stadium is especially inaccurate in soccer. Case in point: the chant-war waged in the clip above between Arsenal fans and their visiting Galatasaray counterparts. The flare-chucking might be a little much,...

How Hulk Became The World's Most Underappreciated Superstar
If there's one good thing about the handful of great players plying their trade in Russia—and it would be the only good thing, mind you—it's that their home Champions League ties often start a few hours before the rest. That timeslot gives their abilities at least a modicum of the attention they des...

Looks Like The Manchester United Traveling Circus Might Really Happen
During the latter stages of last season, there were rumors that United might partake in a tour of the Middle East and Asia during the missing midweek Champions League fixtures that otherwise would've filled the schedule and coffers. It was funny enough to mention in passing, but too outlandish to be...

Wayne Rooney Gets Dumbest Red Card Ever
Manchester United are taking on West Ham today, and after captain Rooney and striker Robin van Persie goals put United up two after just 22 minutes, West Ham pulled one back eight minutes before half. In the second half, the visitors settled in and began to dominate play. We've seen this movie befor...

Baseball Player Tears ACL On Homer, Hops On One Foot Around Bases
York Revolution center fielder Sean Smith hit a game-tying home run in the eighth inning for his independent-league team last night, but slipped on first base and tore his ACL. Smith refused to get help from anyone, however; he got on one foot and hopped the rest of the way....

Everton Saves Point At Liverpool with Phil Jagielka Half-Volley Stunner
A stoppage-time equalizer from Phil Jagielka silenced the crowd at Anfield and seized a point from Liverpool at today's rendition of the Merseyside Derby. ...

How To Be A Soccer Fan
Towards the tail end of this past World Cup, more than a few readers emailed us looking for guidance on how to become a soccer fan. Never ones to disappoint our adoring readership, we've now obliged. Here's how we imagine that conversation would go....

Watch Manchester United Fans Brawl With Guys Dressed Like Waldo
In one corner, a bunch of drunken oafs fresh off leaving a United match. In the other corner, a bunch of drunken oafs celebrating a bachelor party and wearing matching Where's Waldo? shirts and hats. It's the most England video there is. ...

Manchester United's Defenders Don't Actually Know How To Defend
Manchester United were supposed to play yesterday in England's League Cup. Instead, they were home chilling, because on August 26, they got curb stomped by third-division midtable side MK Dons. ...

Liverpool Defeat Middlesbrough 14-13 On Penalties
Yes, the headline is accurate. Liverpool defeated Championship side Middlesbrough 14-13 on penalties Tuesday to advance to the fourth round of the League Cup. Liverpool took leads of 1-0 and 2-1 but were pegged back twice, the second time in the 123rd minute of play after Kolo Touré's ill-advised ta...

Greek Soccer Team's Manager Gets Way Too Turnt During Press Conference
If there was one thing you could say about Gennaro Gattuso, AC Milan's and Italy's fiery former leader, it was that the man was a lock for a manager job when he retired. If there was another thing you could say, it was that said managerial career would involve numerous public blow-ups like this....