One recent morning, Mike Duggan and his hockey buddies were packing up and, as is often the case, the joke was playing stepping stones on the subject of joint replacement surgery.A proud hip replacement owner, 74-year-old Duggan marveled at the sheer number of titanium body parts in the locker room. He gestured toward Mitch Boriskin, who was skating along the opposite wall.”I don’t think you have anything original,” Duggan said.Boriskin, 70, smiled. “Two fake knees, a spinal cord stimulator, 25 surgeries,” he begins, reciting a box score.”And one lobotomy,” Duggan interjected as laughter rippled through the room.At least the titanium…
Author: o2@inaim.com
Fred McGriff played in six franchises, too many, and his new shield cap in the Hall of Fame had no logo. Scott Rolen represents the St. Louis Cardinals, but has played for a total of four teams.”Derek Chipper,” Lauren said from the Clark Sports Center stage on Sunday. “I’ll explain that later.”Many of the greats who sat behind Lauren never changed teams, including former Yankees captain Derek Jeter and Atlanta Braves mainstay Chipper Jones. These players evoke a ferocious loyalty from fans and have the kind of magnetism that compels people to follow the undulating, rambling paths to the baseball…
Brian Harman knew he needed sleep Saturday evening, but he knew it might be difficult to get to sleep. He had been in this situation six years earlier—leading 54 holes in a major tournament—and knew the painful cost of one night. Runner-up, months and years of “what if” days, an unsung hero but not the ultra-elite career.I slept well enough this time. Herman, who has been at the top of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club leaderboard since Friday, had a methodical run on Sunday to win the British Open by six shots and finish 13 under par. The final round…
When Tadej Pogacar slipped behind Jonas Vinzigor on the Col de la Roz pass through the Alps on Wednesday, eight kilometers from the top of the hot and grueling climb, it was only momentarily clear why. Pogacar’s own voice, broadcast over team radio and television during the 17th stage of the Tour de France, provided an immediate account of the rare sight of him being left like a mere mortal.”I’m gone,” he told the team. “I’m dead.”It was a television marvel, a moment that would be recreated on every broadcast of the tour for decades.Few of Pogacar’s teammates were waiting…
It’s an interesting time for England’s women’s team. Qualifying for the Women’s World Cup is one of the favorites to win the tournament, but it’s also probably the most precarious after two years of mostly smooth sailing.The Lionesses are European champions and this victory marked a major shift in women’s football in England in terms of popularity and expectations.”Everyone in this England team expects us to win,” said manager Salina Wiegman.But England are definitely the weakened champions at this World Cup. A few months after winning the European title, the match that began with the loss of one of the…
After years of success on the international stage, France is in turmoil behind the scenes. In March, the French federation sacked longtime coach Corinne Diacre after players complained. Unhealthy environment within the team.Hervé Renard is a seasoned coach who has never led a women’s team but has worked hard to keep the ship stable.But Jamaica, who are in their second World Cup, held back their momentum on Sunday, picking up their first points in an unexpected 0-0 draw with France.Jamaica had to use crowdfunding website He entered to raise money for the team’s trip to Australia and New Zealand, but…
Khadija Rumici’s road to the Women’s World Cup started with her bike.Goalkeeper Rumich grew up in the mining town of Coulibuga in central Morocco. During her girlhood, she tried many sports, including basketball, but she always got bored. She was often drawn to soccer played by boys on the streets. Sometimes she enjoyed just watching the game. Even though she knew it was going to be trouble, there were many days when she couldn’t help but participate.”It was considered shameful to play with boys,” Rmichi, now 33, said in an interview in April. “My brother beat me and dragged me…
One afternoon last week, around the 17th green at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, the rain was pattering on the parasols and the air was cold enough for an English summer. A veil of fog clouded the landscape. Yet a few long tee shots across the estuary were close enough to peek at the Welsh coast.The British Open, due to end on Sunday, may never come close to Wales.First held while Queen Victoria was on the throne, the Open is a national ceremony that has been held only in limited parts of the country, and unlike England, Scotland and Northern…
Esmy Burguts (C) of the Netherlands (center) stands with her teammates on the pitch at Forsyth-Barr Stadium ahead of Saturday’s Women’s World Cup Group E match between Netherlands and Portugal in Dunedin, New Zealand.credit…Alessandra Tarantino/Associated PressOn Sunday, the fourth day of the Women’s World Cup, the teams to watch are the Netherlands, Sweden and France. Sweden, ranked No. 3 in the world, reached the semi-finals of last year’s European Championships and are regular contenders for major tournaments. The Netherlands were runners-up at the 2019 World Cup, and many of the key players from that tournament are still on the roster.…
The banner hangs just below the central staircase of the elegant hotel occupied by the French women’s national team for the World Cup. Hervé Renard wanted to make sure no one in the team could miss it.The motivational quotes on it are typical of the types of positive messages that teams rally before major sports tournaments. But for the French national team, and for the travel-savvy Renard, the words take on special meaning after a period that many in the team would rather forget.It says, “Only team spirit can make dreams come true.”Renard used the phrase when he first met…