Sports Quote of the Day:
"Real leaders are ordinary people with extraordinary determination." ~ Source Unknown
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks edge Red Wings 4-1 in series opener.
Chicago Blackhawks' Johnny Oduya (27), second from left, celebrates with Michal Handzus (26), Michal Rozsival (32), Patrick Sharp (10) and Patrick Kane …
By
Maybe it was the extra rest, or another raucous crowd at the United Center. Maybe it was just the resumption of one of the NHL's biggest rivalries.
Whatever it was, the Chicago Blackhawks finally found that extra gear they talked about for days.
Johnny Oduya and Marcus Kruger scored in the third period, Corey Crawford made 20 saves and the Blackhawks beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 in the opener of their second-round playoff series Wednesday night.
''Much better from our prior series,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''I thought what we're talking about in our team game was in place. Had some pace, had some speed, zone time, and I thought everybody contributed.''
In the wake of Chicago's five-game victory over Minnesota in the first round, Quenneville talked about a higher level of intensity, and each of his biggest stars echoed his comments. The response was a dominant final two periods in the Blackhawks' first game in the Western Conference semifinals since they won the Stanley Cup in 2010.
Marian Hossa had the opening goal in the first, and Patrick Sharp finished with an empty-netter and two assists to give him nine points in the postseason.
''I thought it was our best game of the playoffs, no question,'' Sharp said.
Jimmy Howard had 38 stops in a terrific performance, but Detroit still lost to rival Chicago for the eighth straight time dating to last season.
''I think in the first it was pretty even, but then I think in the second and third they looked like they had a little more energy than we did,'' Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said. ''It's going to be nice to have a day off tomorrow and practice and then looking forward to Game 2.''
The series resumes on Saturday afternoon at the United Center.
The 75th all-time playoff game between the Blackhawks and Red Wings was tied at 1 after two periods, and Howard made a great stop on a breakaway by Dave Bolland 4 1/2 minutes into the third.
Chicago kept working and went in front to stay on a heady play by Oduya. He drifted in from the point and sent Sharp's pass past Howard on the glove side with 12 minutes left.
''Getting the win is the only thing that actually matters,'' Oduya said. ''Like I said, anyone could have scored that goal at that point. We had a lot of chances and I'm lucky I got it in there.''
Kruger then jumped on a loose puck and sent a backhander into the upper right corner to make it 3-1. That was more than enough for Crawford, who caught a break when Damien Brunner's rebound attempt went off the crossbar and straight down before Brent Seabrook swept it away with about three minutes left.
The opener of the 16th playoff series between the Original Six teams was the first game for Chicago since it eliminated Minnesota last Thursday. Detroit closed out Anaheim with a 3-2 win in Game 7 on Sunday night, taking the final two games of the series against the second-seeded Ducks.
Despite the long break, there was no sign of rust for the Blackhawks. The Red Wings skated right with Chicago at the start, but they couldn't keep up at the end of the game and coach Mike Babcock said they were looking forward to a day off.
''We're not trying to take anything away from them,'' he said. ''They were better than us. The score tonight was more than fair as far as I'm concerned. They were better.''
The Blackhawks struck first in the first playoff game between the teams since Detroit won the 2009 Western Conference final. With Gustav Nyquist in the box for hooking, Sharp forced a turnover along the boards and Jonathan Toews sent the puck to
Hossa, who one-timed it past Howard at 9:03.
Detroit needed less than two minutes to respond, tying it when Brunner poked in a rebound for his third career playoff goal. The rookie center also contributed three assists in the first round against the Ducks.
The Blackhawks killed off two power plays created by penalties on Andrew Shaw. They killed off another one when Nick Leddy was sent off for delay of game in the second period, making them a perfect 20 for 20 on the penalty kill in the postseason and sinking Detroit to 1 for 18 on power plays against Chicago, including the regular season.
''We know that we're a much better team than this,'' Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. ''The second and third period were not nearly good enough. We know we're better than this, so we have to find to get better here for Game 2.''
NOTES: It was the 800th game between the teams. ... Detroit F Justin Abdelkader was shaken up after he collided with Blackhawks D Michal Rozsival in the first period. He was helped to the bench after a few moments down on the ice, but eventually returned to the game. ... Blackhawks F Viktor Stalberg was a healthy scratch.
Quenneville said it was a ''coach's decision'' and Stalberg could get back on the ice at any point. ... Toews and Pavel Datsyuk of the Red Wings joined Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins as finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward. ... Chicago won eight of the previous 15 playoff series against Detroit.
How 'bout them Chicago Bulls? Heat beat brave Bulls to reach Eastern final.
By Simon Evans
The Miami Heat reached their third straight Eastern Conference final after a 94-91 win over Chicago on Wednesday secured a 4-1 series victory for the defending NBA champions.
Miami will face the winners of the series between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. Indiana currently lead 3-1 going into Thursday's Game Five in New York.
A series that began with a Chicago upset win in Miami and included some fierce, physical encounters, ended with a strange game as Miami blew an 18-point first quarter lead but somehow managed to claw their way back to victory.
"It was very challenging to be up like we were and then to be down like we were in second half. Mentally, we had to not get too high, not get too low in the whole game," said Miami's LeBron James, who ended with 23 points.
"Emotionally, this game took a lot out of both teams," added the league MVP, who said he was left with "no energy".
The Heat made a blistering start, putting up 10 unanswered points to start the game and upped their advantage to 18 in the first quarter but once again the Bulls fought back.
Miami's sharp movement of the ball fell away dramatically, as did their shooting, as Chicago, led by the livewire Nate Robinson and powerhouse Carlos Boozer, roared back.
Chicago led 53-47 at the half and went into the fourth quarter with a 77-69 advantage but Miami got their second wind when it mattered.
A three-pointer from Shane Battier and a Chris Anderson dunk helped Miami close the gap before Norris Cole's left-handed dunk put the Heat back in the lead with 6:40 left on the clock.
'NO QUIT'
Still the Bulls kept on scrapping and it was not until Jimmy Butler's hopeful three-point attempt in the final moments was off-target that Miami could finally celebrate.
Dwyane Wade, who has struggled with his knee, provided 18 points and some crucial defensive plays for Miami in the fourth quarter.
Boozer ended with 26 points and 14 rebounds as the depleted Bulls, who played without their star Derrick Rose throughout the season, finally bowed out.
While Miami won the best-of-seven series in five games, that outcome masks the determination of a Bulls team that were also robbed of Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau said the way his team fought back from a big early deficit summed up his team's year.
"It is sort of the story of the season. Obviously we are disappointed in losing the series but I was never disappointed in the team," he told reporters. "I thought our team fought hard all year. There was no quit in them."
The Heat's quality and depth proved to be too much though.
"You have to give them a lot of credit. They are a great team. They are not going to beat themselves, you have to beat them," said Thibodeau.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said the Bulls had shown their resilience throughout the series.
"We knew right from the beginning that we would have to earn everything we got.
That certainly played out to be true," he said. "They made it extremely tough but in the fourth quarter we were able to change the momentum and finally turn the corner."
The Miami Heat reached their third straight Eastern Conference final after a 94-91 win over Chicago on Wednesday secured a 4-1 series victory for the defending NBA champions.
Miami will face the winners of the series between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. Indiana currently lead 3-1 going into Thursday's Game Five in New York.
A series that began with a Chicago upset win in Miami and included some fierce, physical encounters, ended with a strange game as Miami blew an 18-point first quarter lead but somehow managed to claw their way back to victory.
"It was very challenging to be up like we were and then to be down like we were in second half. Mentally, we had to not get too high, not get too low in the whole game," said Miami's LeBron James, who ended with 23 points.
"Emotionally, this game took a lot out of both teams," added the league MVP, who said he was left with "no energy".
The Heat made a blistering start, putting up 10 unanswered points to start the game and upped their advantage to 18 in the first quarter but once again the Bulls fought back.
Miami's sharp movement of the ball fell away dramatically, as did their shooting, as Chicago, led by the livewire Nate Robinson and powerhouse Carlos Boozer, roared back.
Chicago led 53-47 at the half and went into the fourth quarter with a 77-69 advantage but Miami got their second wind when it mattered.
A three-pointer from Shane Battier and a Chris Anderson dunk helped Miami close the gap before Norris Cole's left-handed dunk put the Heat back in the lead with 6:40 left on the clock.
'NO QUIT'
Still the Bulls kept on scrapping and it was not until Jimmy Butler's hopeful three-point attempt in the final moments was off-target that Miami could finally celebrate.
Dwyane Wade, who has struggled with his knee, provided 18 points and some crucial defensive plays for Miami in the fourth quarter.
Boozer ended with 26 points and 14 rebounds as the depleted Bulls, who played without their star Derrick Rose throughout the season, finally bowed out.
While Miami won the best-of-seven series in five games, that outcome masks the determination of a Bulls team that were also robbed of Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau said the way his team fought back from a big early deficit summed up his team's year.
"It is sort of the story of the season. Obviously we are disappointed in losing the series but I was never disappointed in the team," he told reporters. "I thought our team fought hard all year. There was no quit in them."
The Heat's quality and depth proved to be too much though.
"You have to give them a lot of credit. They are a great team. They are not going to beat themselves, you have to beat them," said Thibodeau.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said the Bulls had shown their resilience throughout the series.
"We knew right from the beginning that we would have to earn everything we got.
That certainly played out to be true," he said. "They made it extremely tough but in the fourth quarter we were able to change the momentum and finally turn the corner."
Horse racing-Post positions for 2013 Preakness Stakes.
Reuters; (Compiled by Steve Ginsburg in Baltimore; Editing by Frank Pingue)
Post positions for the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes, to be run at Pimlico on Saturday (Post Position, Horse, Jockey, Trainer, Odds)
1. Orb, Joel Rosario, Shug McGaughey, even
2. Goldencents, Kevin Krigger, Doug O'Neill, 8-1
3. Titletown Five, Julien Leparoux, D. Wayne Lukas, 30-1
5. Mylute, Rosie Napravnik, Tom Amoss, 5-1
6. Oxbow, Gary Stevens, D. Wayne Lukas, 15-1
7. Will Take Charge, Mike Smith, D. Wayne Lukas, 12-1
8. Govenor Charlie, Martin Garcia, Bob Baffert, 12-1
9. Itsmyluckyday, John Velazquez, Eddie Plesa, 10-1
Note: Odds are subject to change.
Orb to break from inside post in the Preakness.
Reuters; By Steve Ginsburg
Kentucky Derby winner Orb was installed as the even-money favorite to win Saturday's 138th Preakness Stakes, the middle leg of the Triple Crown, after drawing the inside post at Wednesday's barrier draw.
With just nine horses entered in the $1 million race at Pimlico, Orb's trainer Shug McGaughey said he expected his three-year-old to get a smooth run under the guidance of his red-hot jockey Joel Rosario.
"He'll get a clean break and he'll be able to sit where he wants to sit," said McGaughey.
"If he's good enough, he'll be able to make that run, and hopefully he gets there."
A versatile runner, Orb came from well behind to win the Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4 after drawing 16th in a far more congested field.
"It's a big difference than 19 or 20 horses, especially trying to get around that first turn at Churchill Downs," McGaughey said.
"I think here they'll probably spread themselves out with just nine and we'll be fine.
Rosie Napravnik, looking to become the first female jockey to win the Preakness, will ride the second favorite, Mylute, a 5-1 morning line choice that will start from the fifth gate.
Illinois Derby winner Departing, a bay gelding who did not run at Churchill Downs, was listed as the third choice at 6-1 and will break from the four hole under Brian Hernandez.
Departing's trainer Al Stall said he believed his horse, a winner in three of four starts this year, would be fresher after skipping the trip to Kentucky.
"In this day and age the modern thoroughbred seems to like a little time in-between races," he said. "I don't know why. So we're fortunate enough to have 28 days between the Illinois Derby and now.
"It gave us time to improve and he really has improved. You can see it on a day-to-day basis when you train him."
Other horses in the Preakness include Goldencents, the Santa Anita Derby winner who finished a disappointing 17th at Churchill Downs for trainer Doug O'Neill, and Florida Derby runner-up Itsmyluckyday.
O'Neill's Kentucky-bred bay, an 8-1 early line choice, will break from the second post with Kevin Krigger in the silks, while Itsmyluckyday opens from the far outside at 10-1 odds.
Stall said the post positions would have little bearing on the race, to be run on dirt over a mile and three-sixteenths.
"The post doesn't really matter in this type of race, this type of track with a nine-horse field," he said. "It's just a good party to come to."
If Orb wins the Preakness, he will have the chance to complete the elusive Triple Crown, the greatest prize in U.S. thoroughbred horse racing.
It has been 35 years since the last horse, Affirmed, swept the three classic races, but a victory in the Preakness would give Orb his chance to join the sport's elite if he can win the Belmont Stakes in New York on June 8.
His chances of winning the second leg were helped by the reduced entries for the Preakness, which will go off with the smallest field since 2007.
Tiger Woods inviting a cloud of suspicion, What' your take?
By Jay Busbee
Tiger Woods takes a drop on the 14th hole during the final round of The Players Championship. (Getty Images)
Barely a third of the way into the 2013 golf season, Tiger Woods has already found himself the focus of three different rules controversies. He's been questioned for his behavior on the course and, in effect, called a liar for his comments off it.
He was penalized two strokes for an illegal drop at the HSBC Championship in January, nearly got disqualified from the Masters after an illegal drop there and this past weekend was questioned for giving himself a favorable drop in the final round of The Players Championship.
(And if that weren't enough, Sergio Garcia accused Woods of a breach of etiquette during their third-round pairing on Saturday at The Players, leading to a he-said-she-said exchange from four course marshals, two of whom essentially called Woods a liar, two who defended him.)
All of this leads to the question: Why is this happening to Woods again and again?
While it's certainly true that Tiger is the most scrutinized golfer on the planet, watched by millions every time he enters a tournament, it's impossible to ignore the pattern that's developing: that time after time, when given the opportunity, Tiger Woods chooses the interpretation of the rules that's most favorable to him. Each situation isn't a huge deal when examined individually, but within a body of work they matter, especially when considering where he's headed – straight at Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors.
Let's get this out of the way: There is absolutely no indication that Woods is cheating on the golf course. None. No golfer in history has been as closely monitored as he is.
In an age where hi-def TV viewers can pick up when a ball rotates by a single dimple, there'd be nowhere for Woods to hide.
But there is latitude in golf, which is a game officiated by the players themselves. So it's worth an inspection when a player interprets the rules in a way that consistently benefits him.
Consider, for instance, the infamous "loose impediment" ruling from the 1999 Phoenix Open. There, Woods hit his tee shot into the desert alongside the 13th hole; the ball came to rest behind a one-ton boulder roughly the size of a dishwasher.
Woods asked whether the boulder was considered a "loose impediment," meaning it could be moved without penalty. A rules official assented, and Woods asked members of the gallery to haul the boulder out of the way. They happily obliged, and Woods would go on to birdie the hole.
And we already have three separate events in 2013 where Woods' interpretation of the rules has come under scrutiny:
• At the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January, Woods (with the blessing of his playing partner Martin Kaymer) took a free drop after his ball was embedded in a bushel of vines. He was later assessed a two-stroke penalty for taking an illegal drop, and that was enough for him to miss the cut.
• After putting his approach shot into the water on No. 15 during the second round of the Masters, Woods took a drop behind where he hit his initial approach. That's illegal, and he was assessed a penalty the next morning. Only through some legalistic gymnastics was Augusta National able to find an interpretation of the rules that kept Woods from being disqualified.
• At The Players on Sunday, Woods hit a ball into the water in the final round on the 14th hole. Both Woods and playing partner Casey Wittenberg agreed that the ball had hooked hard into the water, even though Woods had turned away from the tee shot before the ball even hit the water. Woods took a drop well up the fairway, rather than playing back from the tee, where it appeared from some replay angles to have last crossed land.
You see where we're going here. In every instance, Woods was conceivably within the rules – or at the very least could claim to be acting within what he thought were the rules – but in each case he opted to err not on the side of caution but on whatever side benefited him. In one case, it got him sent home early; in another, he escaped that fate by the thinnest of margins.
Golf also has expectations for player conduct on the course, and yet Woods constantly pushes that boundary as well. His tendency for screaming profanities on the course keeps broadcast directors up at night. Crowding competitors on the tee, walking off the green and taking the gallery with him before his opponent has finished putting, standing in sight lines … one man's gamesmanship is another's poor sportsmanship.
This just-inside-the-lines style has become Woods' trademark, and it leads to a perception that he cares only about what benefits him best.
It's worked quite well for him so far, but as Woods resumes his march into golf history, we're entering new territory. Imagine for a moment that Tiger had won the Masters in April, giving him major win No. 15. Considering a sizeable faction (including some of his peers) believed he should have been disqualified from the tournament for the illegal drop, what then would we have made of his pursuit of Nicklaus' record? What would history have made of it?
It doesn't seem that Tiger considers public perception – his one public apology in the wake of the cheating scandal had all the warmth of a hostage video – which, of course, is his right. But while perception doesn't always match reality, it can serve as a pretty accurate indicator of what's causing the rumblings. In this case, it's Tiger Woods' interpretation of the rules of golf.
If Woods was under heavy scrutiny before 2013, it's only going to get more intense now that he is firmly back on track in his pursuit of Nicklaus. As Barry Bonds can testify, pursuit of a legend is hard enough; pursuit of a legend under a cloud of suspicion is a lonely road.
Unlike Bonds, Woods has it in his power to dispel any concerns about his approach to the game. But so far, he's shown little interest in doing so. He can certainly argue that he acted within the letter of the law. But can he credibly argue that he acted within the spirit of it?
CS&T/AA's Take: Tiger made a mistake in his public life in the past, why shouldn't he be given the opportunity to make amends and get past it? Others have had the same kind of indiscretions and allowed to grow past them. Examples: Bill Clinton, "I didn't have sex with that woman", and most recently Mark Sanford, former governor of SC recently elected congressman in a district that he had held previously. He went to Argentina to see a love interest, leaving his state without any executive leadership while deceiving his constituents, (He was out of the country for a weekend). They were given second chances and there's nothing wrong with that. If they can get a second chance why can't Tiger? Now the question of his integrity comes up. In the above article it states that he has not broken any rules. It also says he pushes boundaries, what good businessman, athlete, politician, or average person in general do you know that is not always looking for any advantage that will benefit them? It's human nature. There will always be detractors but one thing is for sure, He will go down in history as one of the greatest golfers ever. He just needs to be aware that the road to overcoming Sam Snead's PGA tournament wins record, 82 and Jack Nicklaus's PGA major tournament wins record, 18 will only bring much more severe scrutiny. Hopefully, he will be prepared. And with his support system, I think he will!!! CS&T/AA would love to know, What's your take?
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Five Reasons Stewart-Haas Racing Isn't Performing Well.
By Matt Fitzgerald
COMMENTARY | Stewart-Haas Racing has everything it takes to be a top-notch team in NASCAR today, but none of it seems to be coming together. The team not only has the drivers to win races, but it also has the manufacturer and car support to have what should be some of the best cars on the track each week.
Here are five reasons why the team is not performing up to the standards it set this season:
COMMENTARY | Stewart-Haas Racing has everything it takes to be a top-notch team in NASCAR today, but none of it seems to be coming together. The team not only has the drivers to win races, but it also has the manufacturer and car support to have what should be some of the best cars on the track each week.
Here are five reasons why the team is not performing up to the standards it set this season:
The Generation-6 Car
All teams have to adjust to the new car and the way that it drives differently from the old car, but it seems like Stewart-Haas Racing is having a much harder time than most other teams in the garage. This is a career-worst start for Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman's worst since joining SHR. The team's only top five finish up to this point in the season is Newman's fifth-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500.
From that race on, Stewart and Newman have combined for five additional top 10 finishes in 10 starts each. That isn't something that is going to keep them in contention for the Chase or help them win a championship before everything is said and done.
From that race on, Stewart and Newman have combined for five additional top 10 finishes in 10 starts each. That isn't something that is going to keep them in contention for the Chase or help them win a championship before everything is said and done.
SHR can only hope Stewart lives up to his reputation of a summer driver and the team finally figures out this new car. That brings everything to the next issue of
Danica Patrick and whether or not she is really good for the team.
Danica Patrick
Patrick is an excellent driver in many ways and is showing a lot of potential to really break out into someone who could compete with the best of them in the future. Her move to Cup has come at a very bad time for the team as a whole and has led to poor performances.
By no means should Danica be expected to go out and finish well in every race her first year, but she hasn't even performed close to fellow rookie driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The argument can be made that he has been driving stock cars longer and is the two-time defending Nationwide champion, but that just further shows why Danica shouldn't be running at this level yet.
By no means should Danica be expected to go out and finish well in every race her first year, but she hasn't even performed close to fellow rookie driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The argument can be made that he has been driving stock cars longer and is the two-time defending Nationwide champion, but that just further shows why Danica shouldn't be running at this level yet.
Stewart is having to spend a great deal of time mentoring Danica and showing her how to drive a car that she has very little experience in and was thrown into based off of her name and sponsor backing. This has made Stewart take time away from the start of his season, when he has been known to not be as good of a finisher. This is evident in the fact that since forming SHR in 2009, the only time he was outside the top 10 in points at this point in the season was when he was 18th in 2010.
Plain Bad Luck
Luck has had a lot to do with the SHR drivers not finishing up to their potential in races this year. At Talladega, Newman was having a good day when Kurt Busch's flipping-car landed on top of him and ended his day. That wreck also knocked out Patrick as well to hurt the team even further. So far this year, Newman has had three DNFs with Patrick accumulating two more.
Stewart may have finished every race, but he has still been caught up in his fair share of bad luck. Between getting caught up in minor wrecks and not having cars that are performing as well as his competitors, Stewart is on a very slippery slope just fighting to keep from falling any further.
Steve Addington
After winning the championship with Darien Grubb in 2011, Stewart let him go in favor of Steve Addington, and all seemed well at the start of last season. It is shown now, though, that something is not clicking between these two anymore and changes need to be made quickly. Most of the blame should be put on Stewart to get out there and drive the car like we all know he can, but that can't be done if the crew isn't getting the job done in the pits and in pre-race setup.
Newman's crew chief, Matt Borland, has become this season's first two-time Moog "Problem Solver" award winner. So, it is evident that he knows how to get the job done to make sure that Newman keeps moving forward and making things happen on the track each week.
Tony Gibson, Patrick's crew chief, is doing all that he can to get Danica on the right track and make sure that she performs well each week. Also, their pairing, and Danica in general, is too new to really know if it is going to lead to good things in the future or if he is the right person for the job.
Balancing Being an Owner with Being a Driver
All of this is encompassed in the fact that Stewart has to balance being an owner with being a driver more than anytime before. He just added Danica to the stable, is adding Kevin Harvick next year, and is having to work harder with getting sponsorships for his cars throughout the season. Danica is the only driver up to this point who truly has a sponsor for the entire season. This has led Stewart to have to focus more of his attention on the owner side of the business, and this is taking away from his driver time.
This has led to the team as a whole not having its leader and the person who has really brought them all to where they are today. Newman and Patrick are not known for their great finishes or leadership abilities, and Stewart isn't there to help motivate them to attain better things and follow in his example.
Overall, Stewart-Haas Racing is in a state of flux and working to get back to the place that it needs to be to be successful. The team will find a way to finish the season out strong, but it doesn't seem like this year is going to be anywhere near what it expected before it started.
American Indians in Virginia have no issue with Redskins.
By Brad Biggs
D.C. politicians have stirred the pot when it comes to the name of the Washington Redskins but American Indian tribes in Virginia have no issue with it.
Paul Woody of the Richmond Times-Dispatch contacted the heads of three tribes and they had no issue with the name, which Redskins owner Daniel Snyder emphatically said would not change.
Here are the responses Woody received:
*** “It doesn’t bother me,” Robert Green, the chief of the Patawomeck Tribe, told Woody. “Abot 98 percent of my tribe is Redskins fans, and it doesn’t offend them, either.”
*** “I’m a Redskins fan, and I don’t think there’s any intention for (the nickname) to be derogatory,” said Kevin Brown, chief of the Pamunkey Tribe. “The majority of the people in my tribe don’t have a problem with it. There are a few who do, and we respect their feelings. I like the uniforms. I like the symbol (logo).”
*** “I don’t have an issue with it,” said G. Anne Richardson, chief of the Rappahannock Tribe. “There are so many more issues that are important for the tribe than to waste time on what a team is called. We’re worried about real things, and I don’t consider that a real thing.
“We’re more worried about our kids being educated, our people housed, elder care and the survival of our culture. We’ve been in that survival mode for 400 years. We’re not worried about how some ball team is named.”
So, any calls to change the name of a team with a headquarters in Virginia is not coming from a tribe in the state.
Paul Woody of the Richmond Times-Dispatch contacted the heads of three tribes and they had no issue with the name, which Redskins owner Daniel Snyder emphatically said would not change.
Here are the responses Woody received:
*** “It doesn’t bother me,” Robert Green, the chief of the Patawomeck Tribe, told Woody. “Abot 98 percent of my tribe is Redskins fans, and it doesn’t offend them, either.”
*** “I’m a Redskins fan, and I don’t think there’s any intention for (the nickname) to be derogatory,” said Kevin Brown, chief of the Pamunkey Tribe. “The majority of the people in my tribe don’t have a problem with it. There are a few who do, and we respect their feelings. I like the uniforms. I like the symbol (logo).”
*** “I don’t have an issue with it,” said G. Anne Richardson, chief of the Rappahannock Tribe. “There are so many more issues that are important for the tribe than to waste time on what a team is called. We’re worried about real things, and I don’t consider that a real thing.
“We’re more worried about our kids being educated, our people housed, elder care and the survival of our culture. We’ve been in that survival mode for 400 years. We’re not worried about how some ball team is named.”
So, any calls to change the name of a team with a headquarters in Virginia is not coming from a tribe in the state.
David Beckham jokes that he knew it was time to retire ‘when Messi was running past me’.
By Brooks Peck
To coincide with his retirement announcement, David Beckham conducted an interview with his former Manchester United teammate Gary Neville. In the interview, Beckham discussed everything from why he felt it was time to end his long and distinguished career at 38 years old to the hurt caused by his celebrity overshadowing his playing career. And how Lionel Messi is ultimately to blame for him hanging up his boots.
When asked "Why now?" Beckham replied:
"I think over the years, when I've seen players retire — when you ask them about it, they always say 'You know when you're ready.' And I think I know when I'm ready. I think I'm ready. Obviously it's a difficult decision because I still feel I can play at the top level — and still have done for the last six months. But I always secretly said to myself that I want to go out at the top."
Beckham has played these last few months at PSG, donating his wages to charity (though, as of April, that charity still hadn't been chosen yet) after his five years in MLS with the LA Galaxy. Though Beckham has only made 13 appearances with the Paris club, he still goes out as a Ligue 1 champion, adding the French title to those he won with Man United, Real Madrid and LA. And at each stop, he won a domestic title in his final season with the club.
"When did that moment come, when did it hit ya?" Neville then asked.
"Probably when Messi was running past me," Beckham joked, referring to PSG's Champions League quarterfinal elimination to Barcelona. "Playing in the MLS last year and winning the championship there and then coming to PSG and winning the French league here, it's a good way to go out."
Despite all of his achievements on the pitch — all the titles and all the caps for England (a record 115), Beckham is keenly aware that his celebrity off the pitch has cast a shadow and one that he doesn't particularly appreciate.
"I just want people to see me as a hard-working footballer," Beckham said.
"Someone's that's passionate about the game and someone that everytime I stepped on the pitch, I gave everything I had."
He added:
"I think over the years, my life and my career, people have obviously looked at some other things that have gone on throughout my career and sometimes that's overshadowed what I've done on the pitch and what I've achieved on the pitch. And that's — as much as I say that that doesn't hurt me, of course it does."
"At the end of the day, I'm a footballer that has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, played with some of the best players in the world, played under some of the biggest and best managers and achieved almost everything in football and I think of course it hurts when people, not question it, but think about other things. And to come to the end of my career now and to look back and to say I've achieved everything with every club that I've played for — played for my country 115 times, been runner-up twice for World Player of the Year to amazing footballers — I'm very proud of that."
Of course, Beckham has no one to blame but himself and the unrivaled genius of his management team for the explosion of Brand Beckham. He married a Spice Girl, endorsed products around the world, posed in his underpants and went through a myriad of highly publicized "look at me" hairstyles. His wife publicly calling him "Golden Balls" probably didn't help, either.
If he just wanted to be known for his football above all else, he could have kept his head (and his hair) down, limited his engagement with the press and just played — like former teammate Paul Scholes, who is also retiring at the end of this season. But, he didn't. And now David Beckham — a name 1,000-feet tall in glittering lights — will remain one of the biggest in the world both to fans of the game and to people who think a penalty shot involves kicking someone in the crotch, long after his playing career ends in a few weeks time. David Beckham outgrew the game.
His notoriety became independent of it. For that reason, with his time now freed up from all that training and medal winning, he might now reach even greater heights of world domination.
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