The Sports Fan Girl

haute vuvuzela! - #world cup

noreply@blogger.com (cp) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:46:00 +0000

brahms' "vuvuzela chorale"?

ravel's vuvuzela solo in "bolero"?

19th century composers embrace the versatile vuvuzela.

take note.

hmm... the vuvuzela stylings of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra.

the jury's still out.

more vuvuzela vids

dog v. vuvuzela

mystery guitar man plays beethoven's fifth:

more about the legendary horn:

FB meets WC

noreply@blogger.com (cp) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:38:00 +0000

nytimes interactive feature displays the most popular world cup players based on facebook mentions:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/07/02/sports/soccer/facebook-worldcup.html

more work by some popular jugadores:

the final product:

countdown... wimby round of sixteen

noreply@blogger.com (cp) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 19:05:00 +0000

monday.

psyched.

handsome article about roger federer in the new yorker.

big baby game four roundup

noreply@blogger.com (cp) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 14:41:00 +0000

i know everyone is hip to the world cup right now, but this was the scene at sonny mclean's last night as the bar went ape shit during the c's fourth quarter run of their game four victory:

i think diversity is highly overrated, especially with regards to the people with whom you decide to watch the nba finals. I tried watching game three in a mixed lakers/celtics crowd, but the whole experience became increasingly unpleasant as derek fisher started draining teardrop layups into the basket late in the game.

thank goodness my better senses returned to me to sonny's for a game four experience with my green-threaded tribe.

big ups to big baby for bringin' it in all it's drooling, frothing amazingness. the rest of the celtics bench (shrek & donkey?) was also pretty outstanding.

the game four victory was a true team effort. six guys in double figures, with each of the six players scoring fewer than 20 pts.

And boston fans have to feel good about our chances for game five. We still haven't played our best ball, and yet the series is still tied 2-2.

side note-

shame on you, tom brady.

Word on the street: Local artists rap about Celtics playoff run

noreply@blogger.com (cp) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:22:00 +0000

via boston herald:

Word on the street: Local artists rap about Celtics playoff run

kg & co: a hot ticket

game three. tonight.

nate & scal: pop lockin' it

noreply@blogger.com (cp) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 22:51:00 +0000

thank you, ray ray.

noreply@blogger.com (cp) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:58:00 +0000

back to boston.
it's on.

world cup love

noreply@blogger.com (cp) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 07:48:00 +0000

c'mon c's

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 22:43:00 +0000

it's two hours till tip-off of game one of the nba finals. i'm pretty psyched about boston's chances to house the lake show.

here are some pre-game nibs for the celtics-vs.-lakers fan:

ian crouch writes about the athletes and the rivalry in all its diminishment. sorta. (new yorker)
rondo makes the play in the conference semifinals vs cavs. good effort by rondo.

glen davis trophy flashback. insert cheeky caption. (via unlikelywords)
And, finally, KG explains 'Lost' to big baby:
'Lost' audio: Garnett explains the island to 'Big Baby' from The Basketball Jones on Vimeo.

WNBA Shocker: Ballin' and Brawlin' to ESPN's Front Page

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:04:00 +0000

Perhaps all of this bench-clearing fighting between basketball players is just "one of those athlete things." Perhaps it's a just a Detroit thing.

Maybe the brawl that erupted during Tuesday's game between the LA Sparks and Detroit Shock (for which Shock Assistant Coach, Rick Mahorn, and 10 players were suspended) was just what the WNBA needed to toughen its image.

One ESPN columnist goes as far as suggesting the fight represents a step closer to gender equity in women's professional sports (and I think that, strangely, she's on point).

Check out footage of the Sparks-Shock fight here.

One thing is certain: There are a few more people tuning into WNBA newswire this week.

Japanese Extreme Sports Go Viral!

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:42:00 +0000

HUMAN TREBUCHET Fans Across Japan (and the internet) Lobby for Olympic inclusion for Beijing Games!!!

This is basically a repost of today's Olympic buzz post: Japan's home-grown extreme sport: Human Trebuchet.

The sport of Human Trebechut involves a rather large, wooden see saw, a net, some ropes and harnesses (i think), and lots of voluntarily flung extremities.

Check out the original post here and the YouTube video here.

Japanese TV is the True Reality!!!

US Track and Field takes a Jab (er, jav...) at Olympic Trials Loophole

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:32:00 +0000

I'm all in favor of diversified and talented US representation for the upcoming Summer Games in Beijing.

That is why I am thrilled that the swelling (126 athlete) roster of American track and field superstars has just grown to add another individual to the mix: "weirdo" Javelin thrower Breaux Greer

After the eight-time national champion failed to qualify to a spot on the US Team Roster at the US Olympic Trials, Greer was appointed by the US olympic selection committee that enacted an injury rule that allows for Greer's automatic selection to the american team.

Personally, I'm psyched... Call Bob Costas or Dick Enberg or whomever is crafting this Olympic season's human interest stories!

Meet Jelena Jankovic: Grand Slam Winner and WTA Poster Girl

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:07:00 +0000

Jelena Jankovic is part of the Women's Tennis Association's (Eastern) bloc of young, talented (and good-looking) players with names spelled with v's and vowels (i.e. ivanovic, hantuchova, vaidisova, dementieva, sharapova, golovin). She (along with other v-and-vowel peers) is a top-ten player on the pro tennis tour and, lately, a top-ranked player on the internet.

The Serbia & Montenegro-native has earned her web ranking by creatively interpreting tennis' long-standing rules and traditions.

In the following video, take a look at Jankovic "exhibiting" during the player changeover. ha!

Advantage Jelena Jankovic - Watch more free videos

Check Out more Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Videos (available On Demand) HERE!!!

Countdown to Beijing!

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:34:00 +0000

check out the latest interactive feature from ESPN.com which includes profiles on Olympic hopefuls (like Alicia Sacramone, above), updates on past US Olympians and info on the broader international Olympic scene.

Also, check out the entire list of this year's US Olympic Hall of Fame inductees, which include

Individuals

Karch Kiraly - Volleyball
Bruce Baumgartner - Wrestling
Joan Benoit - Marathon
Brian Boitano - Figure Skating
Oscar de La Hoya - Boxing
J. Michael Plumb - Equestian
David Robinson - Basketball
Amy Van Dyken - Swimming
Lones W. Wigger, Jr - Shooting

Team

1996 Women's Gymnastics Team - Amanda Borden, Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes, Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Jaycie Phelps and Kerri Strug

Goodnight, Fortnight. It's been Grand... WOW!

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:41:00 +0000

For once in my professional tennis-watching life, I agree emphatically with the ever-exuberantly hyperbolic bud collins when he declares that this year's wimbledon finals were probably the best he's ever seen.

I wasn't able to agree (emphatically) until i'd actually seen both Finals since, being Tubeless, I've been reserving my early mornings to the play-by-play audio coverage at Radio Wimbledon 87.7 fm (speaking of... check out radio w.'s "best of the press conference '08" clip!).

I finally caught the epic Williams final, which turned out to be a marvelously played family affair during which winners were abundant and the match's statistical winner (serena) did not end up hoisting the champion's silverware. All the naysayers, skeptically cynical about a possible "fixed" match, were silenced by the Sisters Williams and their magnificent play. This is what the All England Club (and the WTA) has been waiting to see!

I'd barely descended from my spectator high when the rain-delayed Gentlemen's Final was set to begin. In one corner: the muscular, biceps-baring Mallorcan powerhouse. In the other corner: the man with the legacy, the footwork & skill, the finesse and on-court calm... and the burden of being Number One.

Surely this match could not live up to its pre-match expectations, right? Well... Mr. Collins and I both emphatically disagree.

After a brief weather interruption, which delayed the start of the match a half-hour, tennis enthusiasts were treated to an "Instant Classic." I'll spare the detailed analysis (since ESPN, Fox Sports and the Wimbledon Press Room have already done the work).

As painful as it was to watch Federer end the longest match (approx. 4 hrs 48 min) in Wimbledon history as Runner-up, I am still marveling the play of two above-the-cut men playing each point as if it were the most important point of Wimbledon's Greatest Match Ever ... most of the time, it really was. Hats off!

I bet you wanted to know...

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:36:00 +0000

God Bless the Radio Wimbledon 87.7 FM on-court commentators.

I'm listening to the play-by-play and commentary on the live action between Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova and the breakdown discussion is centering largely around - well, er - each players' respective b-r-e-a-k-d-o-w-n.

"Their families must be devastated. They're probably thinking, 'How many times have we seen (these breakdowns) before?"

my dearest Commentators...

I didn't realize you had portal access into the brain waves of each player's respective family. don't tell me you know what the players are thinking, too. oh, wait...

you're about to tell us about Elena Dementieva's mindset as she reaches match point.

"She (elena d.) must be thinking she should not be anywhere near the semifinal."

"let's just see if she's (elena d.) thinking clearly."

listen for yourselves. enjoy.

so passive aggressive.

gotta love the championships at the all england club.

Brad WALKER - Pole Vault ANIMAL!!!

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:58:00 +0000

Brad Walker sets a new American Record in the Men's Pole Vault at this past weekend's U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

Check out the University of Washington graduate's PV photo gallery at the NBC Olympics website. Sick!

Also, check out the recent NPR profile on this rising track star (from NPR's All Things Considered).

Classic Wimbledon Matches: direct to your desktop!

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:48:00 +0000

the Official Web Site for the All England Club's annual slam is nothing short of spectacular. Along with live-update widgets and radio wimbledon (available for download to your favorite social network or blog!), the Wimbledon 2008 site is making a slew of Classic Matches for year's past available to watch or download (FREE!).

I just watched my beloved roger arrive as a young & talented upstart against the time-tested vet. Amazing tennis! Watch for yourselves here:

Classic Matches

Federer v Sampras - 2001 4th Round

The interactive Wimbledon fan blog on Facebook has been updating its feed regularly with daily highlights, info and interviews. The blog has also been diligent in updating its comprehensive Wimbledon YouTube channel. I highly recommend subscribing to their video and blog feeds immediately!

Read the latest Facebook bulletin post from the official Wimbledon Fan Group:

Saturday, June 28, 2008 at 12:19pm
Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for joining and participating in our fan page! We're seeing many different opinions but everyone is being polite and articulate at the same time, making the community so much fun!

Just wanted to let those of you that have blogs or websites know, you can grab the embed codes from the youtube channel to post all of these videos on your own site (or facebook profile!), if you want. Here's that direct link: http://www.youtube.com/MZTennis.

Enjoy! And, keep up the great feedback - we love it! Be sure to post any question in the Discussion Board and we'll get back to you!

YouTube - MZTennis's Channel
Source: www.youtube.com

Show Your Celtics Pride

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 07:33:00 +0000

get your widgets!

Countdown to Beijing!

noreply@blogger.com (jcp) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 08:15:00 +0000

eight oh eight oh eight (at eight oh eight in the evening...)