Sports

The Rise of International Players: How Global Talent is Shaping the NBA Landscape

2024-01-10T05:09:00.000-08:00

Over the past few decades, the NBA has witnessed a significant increase in the number of international players making their mark on the league. This influx of global talent has not only enriched the game but also transformed the NBA landscape in various ways.

One of the primary reasons for the rise of international players in the NBA is the evolution of the NBA G League. Since its inception in 2001, the G League has become an indispensable part of the NBA’s player development strategy, providing a platform for young players from around the world to develop their skills and gain valuable experience. With 29 teams affiliated with NBA franchises, the G League fosters a seamless transition and collaboration between the two leagues, contributing to the development of players like Danny Green, Hassan Whiteside, and Pascal Siakam.

NBA franchises have recognized the potential of international talent and are investing more resources into scouting and developing players from around the globe. This includes providing top-notch facilities, coaching staff, and development programs for their affiliate teams in the G League. As a result, the G League has become a hub for experimentation, with teams exploring new player development strategies, data analytics, and technologies to identify and nurture international talent.

The rise of international players in the NBA has also contributed to the globalization of the game. With players hailing from various countries and cultures, the league has become more diverse and inclusive, attracting fans from all corners of the world. This has led to the NBA expanding its reach through international partnerships, broadcasting deals, and the establishment of NBA academies in countries like India, China, and Africa.

As international players continue to make their mark on the NBA, the league’s landscape is being reshaped in several ways. The infusion of global talent has led to a more competitive and dynamic league, with teams adapting their strategies and playing styles to accommodate the diverse skill sets of their players. Additionally, the success of international players has inspired a new generation of young athletes from around the world to pursue their dreams of playing in the NBA, further solidifying the league’s status as a global powerhouse in sports.

Puma to end sponsorship of Israel’s national football team in 2024

2023-12-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

The company says the move, planned since last year, is unrelated to boycott calls against it amid Israel’s war on Gaza.

Sports brand Puma will stop sponsoring Israel’s national football team in 2024, according to a company spokesperson.

The move was planned since last year and is not related to consumer boycott calls against Israel amid the Gaza war, the spokesperson for the German sportswear firm said on Tuesday.

Puma has long faced boycott calls over its brand alliance with the Israel Football Association (IFA), but such calls have intensified during Israel’s two-month offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 18,000 Palestinians.

In a statement emailed to the Reuters news agency, a Puma spokesperson said the company’s contracts with several federations, including Serbia and Israel, were due to expire in 2024 and would not be renewed.

The spokesperson said Puma would soon announce deals with several new national teams, as part of its “fewer-bigger-better strategy”.

An internal Puma memo viewed by the Financial Times, which first reported the news, also confirmed the shake-up.

The memo said Puma would continue to “evaluate all other existing partnerships as well as any other upcoming opportunities to ensure we have a strong roster of national teams”, the newspaper reported.

Puma first signed its contract with the IFA to provide kit to players in 2018.

Since then, the company has faced boycott calls from activists, who say the IFA also includes teams based in Jewish-only settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law.

Global firms supportive of Israel have faced growing boycott calls by the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) movement before and during the Gaza war.

Earlier this week, fashion company Zara pulled an advertising campaign from its website after it drew a backlash for appearing to mimic scenes of suffering in Gaza and sparked boycott calls from pro-Palestine activists.

Source :AlJazeera News

Lionel Messi: Inter Miami forward is 'gripping' United States, says Guillem Balague

2023-11-28T06:41:00.000-08:00

Roll up, roll up and welcome to the Lionel Messi show, currently the hottest ticket in the USA. A flash in the pan or finally a changing of the guard in American sport?

America is in the grip of Messi madness after he signed for Inter Miami from Paris St-Germain in the summer. Football in the country has been here before. But never quite like this.

His move to the United States was as reasoned, calculated and well planned as his departure from Barcelona to Paris was clumsy, rushed and unwelcome.

The timing could not have been better with the Copa America taking place there next year and the final set to be played in Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium on July 14. The Club World Cup is due to be held in the States in 2025, and what will be the biggest World Cup yet is coming to the USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

When it comes to a well-oiled machine looking to promote and grow a brand, nobody does it better than the USA. With all this marked in, plus the possibility that the country could also be hosting the next Women's World Cup in 2027, it's safe to say that if football - sorry, soccer - doesn't take off in the USA after all that, then it is difficult to imagine when it ever will.

Will the arrival into Major League Soccer of Messi, regarded by many as the greatest player in the history of the game, finally burn an indelible brand into America's sports-mad psyche and establish its place alongside team sports like American football, basketball or baseball, or will it turn out to be another false dawn?

How has Messi's arrival changed Inter Miami and the MLS?

If there's one thing American sports fans adore more than the teams they support it is the passion they feel for superstars playing for them. Think Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky and you get the idea. Now add the name Lionel Messi.

The New York Red Bulls have offered a special offer holiday ticket promotion involving next season's home opener and the derby against rival New York City FC. But there's a catch. If the first match sees them drawn against Inter Miami, it won't count as part of the deal. Written in small print alongside the offer are the words, "If RBNY plays Inter Miami CF in the home opener, each home opener ticket will be replaced with a ticket to RBNY's 2nd home match."

The name 'Lionel Messi' doesn't feature but then it doesn't really have to. Surely no team will be including Inter Miami tickets in cheap seats deals in the new season

No-one at club or league level was prepared for the effect Messi's signing would have on them.

Season ticket packages for next season are coming out at double what they were in 2023, which makes Inter Miami one of the most expensive tickets in the world - and this for a league not generally considered to be among the top level worldwide.

The club's Instagram account has gone from one million followers to 15 million.

If you want to catch the little magician when Inter Miami play away from home be prepared to dig deep.

For example, if you had wanted to watch Columbus Crew this year you could do so for as little as $40. Next season they will be charging a minimum of $382 for a seat in the 'nosebleed' section for the visit of Inter Miami, going up to $680.

If you happened to be in Orlando visiting Mickey Mouse and fancied catching a game, then last season you could have watched the locals for around $97. If you're in town when Leo visits Orlando City next season, be prepared to shell out more than $1,500 for a seat on the secondary market.

Ticket prices have skyrocketed in the MLS as fans have flocked to watch Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi

The atmosphere at games borders on the surreal. No-one is really watching the game other than through the participation of Messi.

If he is 50 metres from the ball everyone is still watching him. When he walks up to take a corner it is celebrated almost like a goal. It is almost like watching an event, a happening, that is occurring within another event.

What about buying a shirt then? Good luck!

Such is the frenzy for buying replica shirts that Adidas are struggling to meet demand in certain sizes. Even for next season.

And if you can find a shirt - and apparently even Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham has been finding it tricky to get some to give to people as gifts - there is logically a dearth of the numbers 1 and 0 and the letters M, E, S and I.

Pre Messi, Inter Miami had a stadium with plenty of empty seats. An extra stand was built to accommodate demand for when he arrived.

New stadium and new approach from all involved with Inter Miami

Construction has now begun on the Inter Miami CF stadium, set in a 58-acre public park, and scheduled to open in 2025.

The team's budget has gone from $60m to $300m and tickets are sold out within minutes whenever Inter Miami play - home or away.

Michelle Kaufman has been a sportswriter for around 35 years, most of which has been spent writing predominantly about soccer for the Miami Herald.

"My life was a lot quieter and less complicated before this man arrived in my life," she told me when we met up recently in Miami at a Soccerex exhibition.

"I'm spending about as much time focusing on him as I am my husband which is probably not a good thing.

"There is a Messi cult following that I have never seen before. I am doing a podcast on him and I have people watching it from Gabon, from Tangier [in Morocco]. I'm looking at the map and wondering where these countries are."

The Inter Miami press office has never had to deal with anything like it - not only the best player in the world, but also a celebrity.

So how are things going for Messi since he arrived?

Messi certainly hit the floor running.

In front of a capacity crowd of 20,000, including the likes of LeBron James, Serena Williams and Kim Kardashian watching on from luxury suites, he scored a stoppage time free-kick winner to seal a 2-1 win over Liga MX side Cruz Azul.

When he arrived the team were languishing at the bottom of the MLS table.

Less than a month after his arrival, he scored a screamer to earn a draw against Nashville in the Leagues Cup final to secure the club's first piece of silverware after a 10-9 win on penalties.

Buoyed by cup success, Messi's Miami went on a 12-match unbeaten run to force themselves into contention for a play-off place that would have been almost unthinkable when he arrived.

In the end it was a bridge too far, especially after a muscle injury caused Messi to miss six games in September and early October.

This is now a side transformed after a roller coaster of a campaign. Failure to make it into the play-offs means he can now look forward to the longest holiday break he has ever had.

Messi vows to win more trophies with Inter Miami

He will have about a month and a half off, although that will be interspersed with games for his country. The dream for many football fans is that Messi will remain in contention for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup.

Off the pitch, things are going well, although the US media expected more appearances from him.

He did only one press conference when he arrived and sports media are used to more regular contact. That said, he has spoken more than ever, twice after a game for Apple TV, five individual interviews after the August press conference, as well as in the big presentation on his arrival.

If the media want more from him then they are going to be disappointed.

Messi, the Inter Miami captain

He now has the captain's armband, although it was not what he wanted but rather something that was thrust upon him.

And with the surging demand for anything Messi-related that can fill column inches and air time, going out in public is proving difficult. When he first arrived he was pictured visiting the supermarket. This is no longer possible because everybody knows he is in town, even those that do not follow football.

Meanwhile, he is committed to the Miami cause. He flew to Paris for the Ballon d'Or ceremony, arriving at 8am on the Monday and flying back to Miami immediately afterwards in the first minutes of the Tuesday to be back for training.

He has also joined the players' Whatsapp group, where he has shared some of his match tickets with those that need them. He even handed a penalty to his team-mate and forward Josef Martinez because he had been going through a spell without scoring.

At home, his wife Antonella is helping him settle, finding things out about Miami, such as the best places to eat and enjoy, as well as honing his look and his image off the pitch. He is more confident these days, he has found his place in the world.

They were no strangers to Miami and the Messis have got an impressive property in the area that they have rented for years.

He has been reunited with former Barca team-mates Jordi Alba and Sergi Busquets, while Luis Suarez will almost certainly also soon join them.

His time in Paris was not the happiest of his life. The fans didn't get him. But now things are different and his next club target will be to go looking for victory for Inter Miami in MLS.

The future of MLS and the importance of Messi in guaranteeing it

Despite great personalities and events like the 1994 World Cup, football has never really 'arrived' in the USA to the extent that many thought that it would.

How big is the arrival of Messi in MLS? Fernando Palomo, ESPN sports anchor and one of the most respected commentators on football, has no doubts: "It is one of the biggest revolutions in the world of sport that this country has seen in decades," he said.

But even he stops short of confirming that the Argentine superstar's arrival into MLS will prove to be the game's upward tipping point.

He said: "I live in a small town in Connecticut and people that don't talk to me about football have approached me not only to talk about football but to tell me that they have already bought the Messi jersey, which kind of tells you where it's landed and how it's impacted this game."

Palomo adds it is much bigger than when Beckham came over but that "time will tell" if it really makes football in America take off.

"At least the game is in a better place than it ever has been," he said.

Ultimately, American sports fans' emphasis on the individual rather than the team could make it difficult for the game to grow to where many believe it should in the United States.

In the meantime, let's all enjoy the ride.

SOURCE: BBC SPORT

Six Nations 2021: Eddie Jones says playing style 'poison' must be removed from players' minds

2021-03-18T14:11:00.004-07:00

Guinness Six Nations 2021 - Ireland v England
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Saturday 20 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMT
Coverage: Listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Ulster; live text commentary and post-match video highlights on the BBC Sport website and app.

England head coach Eddie Jones says "poison" about playing style must be removed from players' minds before Saturday's game against Ireland.

The 2020 Six Nations champions found their best form in this year's tournament so far to claim a thrilling victory against France last weekend.

But they cannot retain the title after defeats by Scotland and Wales.

"There's a story around the game," Jones told BBC Sport. "You guys fill players' heads full of poison."

Jones was referring to the praise his England team earned for the way they played against France, in contrast to earlier performances in the tournament.

He added: "We're trying to take the poison out of it."

Jones believes the match in Dublin could be more attritional than the free-flowing win against France.

"We know what the game is going to be like, we've got an idea," he continued.

"But sometimes when all the narrative is about 'fantastic, free-flowing, this is how we want to play all the time' - that seeps into players' heads."

'Sometimes you've got to win ugly'

Following England's win against Italy in their second match, former captain Matt Dawson said the side lacked "an attacking instinct".

But Jones' men appeared to turn things around against France, with Dawson calling the win a "lightbulb moment" for the team.

"The expectation is that the next game is going to be like that - that it's going to be free-flowing," Jones continued.

"But generally speaking, when you've played like that in a game, the opposition will try to take that away from you in the next game, so it becomes a tough, grinding affair.

"I'm not criticising what the media does and the fans have got to have their own opinion. Of course they're entitled to their opinion but the reality of the game is different to that.

"Sometimes you've got to win ugly. Do you think the players put their body on the line because they want to play terrible rugby?

"We all want to play good rugby but sometimes it doesn't happen like that."

France and Scotland's round three fixture was postponed, leaving them with an extra game still to play

Daly for Slade 'like for like'

Centre Henry Slade - a key component in England's attack - will miss the Dublin game through injury and is replaced in the starting XV by Elliot Daly.

Daly usually plays at full-back for Jones but was demoted to the bench against France, replaced by Max Malins who will remain at 15 for the Ireland game.

Jones said the choice to move Daly to the centre was in anticipation of a "strong aerial battle".

"It's a like for like selection," he explained. "We feel like having a left-footer at 13, which Slade gave us, will be handy. Elliot is a high work-rate player which is important in a kicking game."

Ben Chilwell

2021-03-18T09:46:00.003-07:00

Ben Chilwell

Footballer

Description

Benjamin James Chilwell is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Premier League club Chelsea and the England national team. Wikipedia

Born: December 21, 1996 (age 24 years), Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

Height: 1.78 m

Nationality: British

Weight: 77 kg

Current teams: Chelsea F.C. (#21 / Defender), England national football team (Defender)

Dates joined: 2020

CHILWELL: THIS IS BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN US

BEN CHILWELL ON THE ATTACK AT LEEDS

The next chance to do that comes on Wednesday night at the Bridge when the Blues will look to build on our lead from the away leg against Atletico Madrid.

‘One-nil away was a good result but we are only halfway done,’ says Chilwell, ‘and if we can get that win then that will be massive for that final push going into the last stretch of the season.

The run of results, which has included eight wins and four draws, has restored the Blues into a top-four position in the Premier League, it has us with a first-leg lead in our Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid, and it has earned a place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Chilwell, who helped keep a clean sheet in our most recent game – the 0-0 draw at Leeds on Saturday – has been personally affected by the stiff competition for a starting shirt, with Marcos Alonso’s increased involvement meaning reduced minutes on the pitch for the England left-back compared with earlier in the season, but he can see the strong squad benefitting the club as a whole.

‘The manager has come in and every weekend going into the game no one knows who is going to be starting and in what position, and that is a positive thing because we have a massive squad of very talented players who are all fighting for 11 spots.

‘That just brings the best out in all of us because in training everyone is fighting for one of those starting shirts. That is why coming into the weekend we are sharp and defensively we are doing well, and that is why we are unbeaten

‘We have been training hard. Tactically the manager is spot on. Defensively we do look solid and I can’t put my finger on what it is apart from we are training hard and everyone is fighting for 11 spots and everyone is getting a game. It is important that we are getting clean sheets but on the flip side we want to be scoring more goals and winning more games.’

Chilwell admitted straight after the game at Leed that he should have scored with at least one of the chances that came his way.

‘I’ve had a few chances that I probably should have scored and I think that is the same for a lot of people in attacking positions,’ he adds.

‘Once we get up there we need to be a bit more clinical. ‘We need to get more bodies in the box and try to be a bit more clinical with the final pass and the final shot.’

BEN CHILWELL ON THE ATTACK AT LEEDS

source: cheseafc.com

Beckham and Ballack among Europe's showstoppers

2020-12-28T07:31:00.002-08:00

Spain-Denmark, 1993: Danish dreams dashed again by La Roja

"What Spain gave me in club success, it took back with its national team," Denmark's Michael Laudrup once told FIFA.com. With good reason too, the Scandinavian side having fallen victim to their bête noire in the Round of 16 at Mexico 1986, two years after losing out in the semi-finals of UEFA EURO 1984. Then, in November 1993, the teams crossed paths again – with Denmark a point clear of Spain in Group 3 ahead of this final qualifier. European champions in 1992, the Danes had already defeated La Roja1-0 in Copenhagen and boasted the greatest generation in their history, so would they finally turn the tables?

17 November 1993, Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Seville, Spain 1-0 Dent began to look like mission impossible for Javier Clemente's Spain after just ten minutes, when Andoni Zubizarreta passed a clearance to Michael Laudrup and brought the forward down, trying to limit the damage. The goalkeeper was shown a straight red card and suddenly a young Santiago Canizares, denied the time to warm up, was sent into the fray. Despite the pressure, Canizares pulled off an exceptional performance as Denmark laid siege to his goal for the 80 minutes that remained.

It began to look like mission impossible for Javier Clemente's Spain after just ten minutes, when Andoni Zubizarreta passed a clearance to Michael Laudrup and brought the forward down, trying to limit the damage. The goalkeeper was shown a straight red card and suddenly a young Santiago Canizares, denied the time to warm up, was sent into the fray. Despite the pressure, Canizares pulled off an exceptional performance as Denmark laid siege to his goal for the 80 minutes that remained.

At the other end, ten-man Spain relied exclusively on set-pieces to create danger. And, with just over an hour gone, it was from an Andoni Goikoetxea corner that they broke the deadlock, Fernando Hierro finding the net after Peter Schmeichel's misjudged attempt to claim the ball. Thanks to a defensive stalwart and a novice keeper, Spain had thwarted Denmark once again, denying them the point they needed to reach USA 1994

Germany-England, 2001: Owen's hat-trick heroics

In October 2000, Germany triumphed 1-0 in the very last game at the old Wembley Stadium, a result that spelled the end of the road for England manager Kevin Keegan and brought Sven-Goran Eriksson into the hotseat. The return fixture at the Olympiastadion – where Germany remained unbeaten since 1973 – would prove critical to the Three Lions' chances of reaching Korea/Japan 2002.

1 September 2001, Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany 1-5 England

Goals: Carsten Jancker 6' (Germany); Michael Owen 12', 48', 66', Steven Gerrard 45+2', Emile Heskey 74' (England)

To nobody's great surprise, Germany kicked off the encounter with confidence, and it did not take long for Carsten Jancker to open the scoring. Just a few minutes later, however, England struck back via Michael Owen. Their tails now up, the visitors were starting to grow in belief when, on the cusp of half-time, Steven Gerrard fired in a powerful effort from distance. England increased their lead two minutes after the restart, Owen pouncing on Heskey's headed lay-off. The Liverpool striker was at the peak of his powers and completed his hat-trick after latching onto Gerrard's through-ball. And an eye-catching turnaround became a football lesson when Heskey got his own name on the scoresheet.

"I've never seen an England team play better," said Franz Beckenbauer. "They had pace, aggression, movement and technique. It was fantasy football. When they scored their third goal, they started to play football that would have beaten anyone in the world." Four days later, England defeated Albania to take top spot in the group on goal difference – and second-placed Germany would ultimately be left facing the play-offs.

Mazahir's Lock Down Walkaway

2020-04-11T05:57:00.001-07:00

2020 FIFA Club World Cup

2020-04-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

2020 FIFA Club World Cup

Tournament

Description

The 2020 FIFA Club World Cup is scheduled to be the 17th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, a FIFA-organised international club football tournament between the winners of the six continental confederations, as well as the host nation's league champions. The tournament will be hosted by Qatar in December 2020. Wikipedia

Location: Qatar

Date: December 2020

Teams: 7

he 2022 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men's association football championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. It is scheduled to take place in Qatar in 2022. This will be the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world and the first in a Muslim-majority country.^[1] This will be the second World Cup held entirely in Asia after the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.^[2] In addition, the tournament will be the last to involve 32 teams, with an increase to 48 teams scheduled for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The reigning World Cup champions are France.^[3]

This will also mark the first World Cup not to be held in May, June, or July; the tournament is instead scheduled for late November until mid-December.^[4] It is to be played in a reduced timeframe of around 28 days, with the final being held on 18 December 2022, which is also Qatar National Day.^[5]

Accusations of corruption have been made relating to how Qatar won the right to host the event. A FIFA internal investigation and report cleared Qatar of any wrongdoing, but the chief investigator Michael J. Garcia has since described FIFA's report on his inquiry as "materially incomplete and erroneous".^[6] On 27 May 2015, Swiss federal prosecutors opened an investigation into corruption and money laundering related to the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.^[7]^[8] On 6 August 2018, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter claimed that Qatar had used "black ops", suggesting that the bid committee had cheated to win the hosting rights.^[9]

Additionally, Qatar has faced strong criticism due to the treatment of foreign workers involved in preparation for the World Cup, with Amnesty International referring to "forced labour" and stating that workers have been suffering human rights abuses, despite worker welfare standards being drafted in 2014.

2022 FIFA bidding (majority 12 votes)
Bidders	Votes
Bidders	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4
Qatar	11	10	11	14
United States	3	5	6	8
South Korea	4	5	5	Eliminated
Japan	3	2	Eliminated
Australia	1	Eliminated

There have been allegations of bribery and corruption in the selection process involving members of FIFA's executive committee. These allegations are being investigated by FIFA .

Qatar is the smallest nation by area ever to have been awarded a FIFA World Cup – the next smallest by area is Switzerland, host of the 1954 FIFA World Cup, which is more than three times as large as Qatar and only needed to host 16 teams instead of the current 32.

Possible expansion

On 12 April 2018, CONMEBOL requested that FIFA expand the 2022 FIFA World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, four years before the 2026 FIFA World Cup as initially planned.^[21]^[22] FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed willingness to consider the request.^[23] However, the FIFA congress rejected the request shortly before the beginning of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Infantino said the global football governing body would not discuss the possibility of having a 48-team World Cup, and that they would first discuss the matter with the host country.^[24]

In March 2019, a "FIFA feasibility study" concluded that it was possible to expand the tournament to 48 teams, albeit with the assistance of "one or more" neighbouring countries and "two to four additional venues." FIFA also said that "while it cannot rule out legal action from losing bidders by changing the format [of the tournament], the study said it 'concluded that the risk was low.'" FIFA and Qatar would have explored possible joint proposals to submit to the FIFA Council and the FIFA Congress in June 2019. Had a joint proposal been submitted, FIFA's member associations would have voted on the final decision at the 69th FIFA Congress in Paris, France by 5 June 2019.^[25]^[26] However, on 22 May 2019, FIFA announced it will not expand the tournament.^[27]

Source: Wikipedia

FIFA, others defeat U.S. football concussion lawsuit

2015-07-17T23:03:00.000-07:00

(Reuters) - A U.S. judge has dismissed a lawsuit by football players and parents seeking to force FIFA and other governing bodies to change the sport's rules to limit the risk of concussions and other head injuries, especially for children.

In a decision on Thursday, Chief Judge Phyllis Hamilton of the federal court in Oakland, California, said the plaintiffs could not use the courts to change FIFA's "laws of the game," noting it was their decision to play football.

"Plaintiffs have acknowledged that 'injuries' are a 'part of football,'" Hamilton wrote, citing the complaint. "Those who participate in a sporting activity that poses an inherent risk of injury generally assume the risk that they may be injured while doing so."

The judge also said FIFA was not a proper defendant because there was "no connection" between the lawsuit and any activity that the sport's international governing body, which is based in Switzerland, undertook in California.

Claims against FIFA were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be brought again.

Hamilton said claims against bodies such as the United States Football Federation and various youth and club football organizations can be brought again if the plaintiffs show they have standing to sue, including by demonstrating injury.

"We will amend the complaint to satisfy the court's order and appeal the FIFA ruling," Steve Berman, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in an email.

FIFA said in a statement that it welcomed the decision, and through its medical committee would continue monitoring issues affecting players' health. Lawyers for the other defendants did not respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuit is not related to the ongoing corruption scandal at FIFA, whose full name is Fédération Internationale de Football Association.

Hamilton's 46-page decision is a setback for efforts to make football, considered the world's most popular sport with roughly a quarter billion participants, safer to play.

The proposed class-action lawsuit was brought on behalf of seven players, including four under the age of 17.

They sought a variety of rule changes, including limiting headers by players under 17, and making it easier to substitute during games for players experiencing head trauma.

The plaintiffs also sought medical monitoring for people who have played the sport since 2002. Money damages were not sought.

THOUSANDS OF CONCUSSIONS

According to the complaint, 46,200 U.S. high school football players suffered concussions in 2010, more than from baseball, basketball, softball and wrestling combined.

At least 30 percent of football concussions come from heading or attempting to head balls, the complaint said.

But only one of the seven plaintiffs claimed she suffered a concussion from playing football, and Hamilton said this appeared to be a one-time injury that ended with a full recovery.

She also called it "too speculative" to assume the other plaintiffs might suffer concussions in the future, and thus they did not deserve standing to seek rule and protocol changes.

Other lawsuits over concussions have been filed in recent years against the National Football League, the National Hockey League and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

A recent settlement between the NFL and roughly 5,000 retired players could reach $1 billion.

Though the football lawsuit was dismissed, "this is not the end of the day for claims against the football federations," said Michael Kaplen, a lawyer specializing in traumatic brain injuries who teaches at George Washington University Law School.

"Groups are trying to market these sports as safe, when they are not," he said in an interview. "Unless and until officials and medical professionals testify under oath, the truth will never come out."

The case is Mehr et al. v. Fédération Internationale de Football Association et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 14-03879.

The 7 Oldest NFL Quarterbacks of All Time

2015-05-20T13:13:00.004-07:00

Nearly all sports, when played at the highest level, are pursuits for the young. Professional careers overlap with athletic peaks, which tend to occur early, and the aging process will eventually force everyone, no matter their skill level or determination, to retire. That said, retirement comes at different times for everyone, and for every Rashard Mendenhall, who retired at 26 to travel the world and write, there’s a Brett Favre, who, well,couldn’t stay gone.

The game of football isn’t easy for anyone, and it’s particularly difficult for quarterbacks, who spend the start of every possession staring down 11 guys who are being paid to take him off his feet with extreme prejudice. When we look at the already injury-riddled careers of guys like Sam Bradford and Robert Griffin III, the idea that anyone could play as long as someone like Favre, who retired, for the last time, at 41, seems absurd. And that’s in the modern-day NFL, which is routinely dressed down as “touch football” or “flag football” by those in the fandom who don’t see why making a game safer is probably a good thing.

What’s really wild about Favre is that he doesn’t even come close to the oldest quarterbacks ever to suit up in the NFL. Using information gathered by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, here are the seven oldest quarterbacks in league history.

The 10 Greatest NFL Quarterbacks of All Time

2015-05-20T13:09:00.001-07:00

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Second only to the U.S. President, the NFL quarterback is the most glamorous, if not important, job in the country. In addition to the hopes and dreams of his team, the quarterback carries the flag for entire cities, regions, and metaphorically, ways of life. The pressure is unreal, considering the fact that sports-obsessed Americans look to the gridiron gladiator for strength, controlled violence, and an escape from the routine fare of the daily grind. The quarterback is viewed as the one member of the entourage that combines leadership, intelligence, and strategic thought alongside brute force to control games and emerge victorious.

NFL teams sell their collective souls to trade up at the draft, or wheel and deal at the free agent marketplace to land that once-in-a-lifetime franchise quarterback opportunity. Certainly, today’s NFL fanatics are privy to the circus atmosphere that has surrounded Cleveland Browns’ rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel. The outrageous hype is largely based on potential — for now, Manziel is the solid number 2 behind incumbent veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer.

Sports fans, of course, recognize that the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time emerge as icons that define cities, dynasties, and eras. In order to be defined as great, the signal caller must combine top-shelf mechanics with game-time smarts and decision making. Beyond the nuts and bolts of execution, the quarterback must have “it.” Best described as the ability to win, “it” is the poise to lead comeback drives, refuse to back down from raging linebackers, and inspire offensive linemen and teammates to lay it on the line and go to war, day in and day out. Further, “it” is a style and flair that matches success on the field, with the ideals of a nation off the field.

Indeed, the term “quarterback” entices the imagination to personify “all that is right” with America. Let’s introduce the top ten greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time after the jump. All stats are from Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Which College Football Conference Has Won the Most National Title?

2015-05-20T13:03:00.001-07:00

Which College Football Conference Has Won the Most National Titles?

May 19, 2015

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

In the constantly evolving world of college football, it has become difficult to keep track of which schools are in which conferences. What’s even more difficult is tracking national championships through the years in the division that is now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision. Prior to the Bowl Championship Series, and now the College Football Playoff, there were numerous outlets that crowned national champions, which has convoluted college football’s history books.

Using only national championships that are recognized by the National Collegiate Athletics Association, I compiled a list of the conferences with the most football national championships of all-time. It is important to note that the Ivy League no longer plays at the FBS level, but their national titles that are included were won when they were playing at college football’s highest level. Also, this list reflects current conference alignment and some national championships may have been won when teams were members of other conferences.

So, which conference has the most national championships of all-time? Here is a look at the total number of football national championships won by each conference.

Football star Bobby Bell to get Minnesota degree at age 74

2015-05-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Most people in the University of Minnesota's college of education and human development class of 2015 will be pondering their futures.

Bobby Bell's lifelong goal will be reached by walking across the stage.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker will graduate Thursday from Minnesota, 52 years after his college career was done. The 74-year-old Bell recently returned to the school he left 13 credits short of a degree in recreation, park and leisure studies. The university guided him toward fulfillment of the promise he once made to his late father in North Carolina.

Bell helped lead the Gophers to the 1960 national championship and a 1962 Rose Bowl victory, before a 12-year career with the Kansas City Chiefs that included a Super Bowl title and six All-Pro selections.

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Tom Brady Suspended 4 Games

2015-05-11T16:33:00.000-07:00

Tom Brady has been suspended the first 4 games of the 2015 NFL season for his role in Deflategate ... TWICE the suspension the league initially gave Ray Rice for beating a woman.

The NFL just issued a statement saying, "Tom Brady will be suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2015 regular season for conduct detrimental to the integrity of the NFL."

"Brady may participate in all off-season, training camp and pre-season activities, including pre-season games."

The league also dropped the hammer on the New England Patriots -- hitting the team with a $1 MILLION fine ... and taking away their 1st round pick in the 2016 Draft and their 4th round pick in 2017.

The two locker room attendants who are believed to have deflated the balls have also been suspended indefinitely without pay.

In a letter to Brady, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent explained the league found "substantial and credible evidence to conclude you were at least generally aware of the actions of the Patriots’ employees involved in the deflation of the footballs and that it was unlikely that their actions were done without your knowledge."

"Moreover, the report documents your failure to cooperate fully and candidly with the investigation, including by refusing to produce any relevant electronic evidence (emails, texts, etc.), despite being offered extraordinary safeguards by the investigators to protect unrelated personal information, and by providing testimony that the report concludes was not plausible and contradicted by other evidence."

"Your actions as set forth in the report clearly constitute conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the game of professional football."

So far, no comment from Brady.

Magic Johnson just spoke out on the suspension -- saying. "The Commissioner came down hard & fair."

Eli Manning told Ralph Vacchiano of the NY Daily News ... "It is about integrity and you have to follow the rules. If someone’s breaking rules they’re going to get punished."

He added, " "In no way am I glad to see this happen."

Will Smith tweeted ... "Tom Brady suspended 4 games, Thats Interesting!!!!"

Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount -- "THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!! SMH 😡 #PATSNATION STAND UP!!!!!"

Donald Trump -- "They had no definitive proof against Tom Brady or #patriots. If Hillary doesn't have to produce Emails, why should Tom? Very unfair!"

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/#ixzz3ZsMKS8bP

American Football Positions

2015-05-11T11:14:00.003-07:00

The following diagram shows you football positions in Big Picture mode.

For the moment, forget about the individual labels on our football positions. Just notice that the players on the field are broken up into two teams of eleven men each, the offense (who are trying to move the football down the field into the end zone) and the defense, who are trying to stop them.

Between them, as you can see, is the line of scrimmage. Although indeed there arelines drawn across the football field, the line of scrimmage is not one of them. The line of scrimmage is, in fact, an imaginary line that is used to indicate where each play will begin, with the offensive football positions set on one side of the line, and the defensive football positions set on the other. All lined up and ready to rumble!

Except when the play is begun by kicking the ball to the opposition (at the beginning of the game, after the halftime break, after points have been scored, and when the offense has failed to make the required ten yard minimum in their series of downs). Then they have a longer way to run before the . . . errr . . . rumbling can begin.

Okay, then. The first breakdown of football positions is into the broad categories ofoffensive team versus defensive team.

Within these two broad categories of football positions, there are, for both offense and defense, two more broad categories: line and backfield.

For the team on offense (i.e., the team with the ball), the responsibility of the linemen is to protect the backs so that they can get free to move the ball down the field.

The 'head back,' by the way, is the quarterback. He's sort of the general of the offense. He 'calls plays,' which means he yells out a code at the beginning of each play that tells the rest of the team what the game plan is, and what their individual assignments will be.

The responsibility of the backs is to move the ball forward either by running with it, or 'getting open,' i.e., free from the defense, so that they can catch the ball if it is thrown to them (usually by the quarterback).

Since only one player can have the ball at a time, the backs without the ball can also help protect the back with the ball, or they can be used as decoys to confuse the defense, a common ploy in American football.

Of course, the defense has the opposite assignment, i.e., they are trying to break through the offensive line and stop the backs from moving the ball.

The defensive backs are pretty much the 'opposite number' of the offensive backs, and may try to stop them by being assigned one man to 'cover' (i.e., control or stop), or by setting up zones of coverage so that the assignment passes from one defensive back to another as the offensive back moves down the field.

Now, you probably noticed that all the little players in our diagram have been labeled. But did you notice that there are a few labels left laying around (like 'Nickel Back' and 'Defensive Tackle') that haven't been stuck on any of the players?

The reason for this is that sometimes football positions are given names unique to the specific formation being used.

Formations, for future reference, are designed plays, rather like choreography in the dance world, in which positions are moved around in an attempt to gain strategic advantage.

And yes: we'll get to that. But we said we'd give you the basics first, and getting into plays and formations now would be like trying to master a souffle before you learn how to boil an egg.

Bu don't worry. You can watch a whole game without knowing if someone's a nickel back. So for now, stay with learning to recognize offense, defense, line and backfield. Unless and until you're hankering to coach the Dallas Cowboys, that's really all you need to know about football positions.

And remember: understanding the game is just a stepping stone. You'll see. Jumping from football positions to football for lovers is really gonna be a breeze!

What Football Playing Field White Lines Mean

2015-05-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

White lines on a football field are critical to playing the game. By knowing what yard lines, hash lines, and end lines represent, you’ll have an easier time following the game.

The dimensions of a football field haven’t changed much through the years. The field has been 100 yards long and 531/3 yards wide since 1881. In 1912, the two end zones were established to be 10 yards deep and have remained so ever since. Consequently, all football games are played on a rectangular field, 360 feet long and 160 feet wide.

All over the field, you see a bunch of white lines. Every line has a special meaning, as shown here:

Football playing field

The lines at each end of the field are called the end lines.
The lines along each side of the field are called the sidelines.
The goal lines are 10 yards inside and parallel to each end line.
The area bounded by the goal lines and sidelines is known as the field of play.
The field is divided in half by the 50-yard line, which is located in the middle of the field.
The two areas bounded by the goal lines, end lines, and sidelines are known as the end zones.

The field also contains yard lines, hash marks, and lines marking the player benches.

Yard lines, at intervals of 5 yards, run parallel to the goal lines and are marked across the field from sideline to sideline. These lines stop 8 inches short of the 6-foot solid border in the NFL.

Yard lines give players and fans an idea of how far a team must advance the ball in order to record a first down. An offensive team must gain 10 yards in order to post a first down. Consequently, every 10 yards, starting from the goal lines, the field is numbered in multiples of 10.

In the NFL, the bottoms of these numbers are placed 12 yards from each sideline. The numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, and one 50-yard line are 2 yards in length. All these lines and numbers are white.

Hash marks mark each yard line 70 feet, 9 inches from the sidelines in the NFL. In high school and college football, the hash marks are only 60 feet from the sidelines. Two sets of hash marks (each hash is 1 yard in length) run parallel to each other down the length of the field and are approximately 18½ feet apart.

When the ball carrier is either tackled or pushed out of bounds, the officials return the ball in-bounds to the closest hash mark to where it’s spotted. Punted balls that go out of bounds are also marked on the nearest hash mark.

The hash marks are used for ball placement prior to most offensive plays so that more of the game can be played in the middle of the field, which makes the game more wide open. If the ball was placed 20 feet from where it went out of bounds rather than on the closest hash mark, offenses would be restricted to one open side of the field for many of their run and pass plays.

In other words, they would have to run or pass to the right or the left, and wouldn’thave the option to do both. But, when teams run the football and the ball carrier is tackled between the hash marks, the ball is declared dead at that spot and generally is placed where the ball carrier was tackled and stopped.

Player Positions in American Football

2015-05-11T11:03:00.001-07:00

When two opposing American football teams meet on the gridiron (playing field), the player positions depend on whether the football team is playing offense or defense. Football pits the offense, the team with the ball, against the defense, which tries to prevent the offense from scoring. Each side lines up facing the other with the football in the middle.
The players on the offensive side of the ball include the
Quarterback: The leader of the team. He calls the plays in the huddle, yells the signals at the line of scrimmage, and receives the ball from the center. Then he hands off the ball to a running back, throws it to a receiver, or runs with it.
Center: The player who snaps the ball to the quarterback. He handles the ball on every play.
Running back: A player who runs with the football. Running backs are also referred to as tailbacks, halfbacks, and rushers.
Fullback: A player who's responsible for blocking for the running back and also for pass-blocking to protect the quarterback. Fullbacks, who are generally bigger than running backs, are short-yardage runners.
Wide receiver: A player who uses his speed and quickness to elude defenders and catch the football. Teams use as many as two to four wide receivers on every play.
Tight end: A player who serves as a receiver and also as a blocker. This player lines up beside the offensive tackle to the right or the left of the quarterback.
Left guard and right guard: The inner two members of the offensive line, whose jobs are to block for and protect the quarterback and ball carriers.
Left tackle and right tackle: The outer two members of the offensive line.
The players on the defensive side of the ball include the
Defensive tackle: The inner two members of the defensive line, whose jobs are to maintain their positions in order to stop a running play or run through a gap in the offensive line to pressure the quarterback or disrupt the backfield formation.
Defensive end: The outer two members of the defensive line. Generally, their jobs are to overcome offensive blocking and meet in the backfield, where they combine to tackle the quarterback or ball carrier. On running plays to the outside, they're responsible for forcing the ball carrier either out of bounds or toward (into) the pursuit of their defensive teammates.
Linebacker: These players line up behind the defensive linemen and generally are regarded as the team's best tacklers. Depending on the formation, most teams employ either three or four linebackers on every play. Linebackers often have the dual role of defending the run and the pass.
Safety: The players who line up the deepest in the secondary — the last line of defense. There are free safeties and strong safeties, and they must defend the deep pass and the run.
Cornerback: The players who line up on the wide parts of the field, generally opposite the offensive receivers.

By Howie Long and John Czarnecki

American football positions

2015-05-11T10:54:00.002-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A diagram showing an I formation on offense and a 4-3 formation on defense

In American football, each team has eleven players on the field at one time. The specific role that a player takes on the field is called his position. Under the modern rules of American football, teams are allowed unlimited substitutions; that is, teams may change any number of players after any play. This has resulted in the development of three "platoons" of players: the offense (the team with the ball, which is trying to score), the defense (the team trying to prevent the other team from scoring, and to take the ball from them), and the special teams (who play in kicking situations). Within those platoons, various specific positions exist depending on what each player's main job is.

Patriots agree to deal with TE Fred Davis

2015-05-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Less than a week after being reinstated by the NFL, tight end Fred Davis found a landing spot.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Davis has agreed to a one-year deal with the New England Patriots, according to a source informed of the deal.

Davis was suspended indefinitely in February of 2014 for repeated violations of the NFL's substance-abuse policy. He missed all of last season.

The 29-year-old tight end earned career highs in 2011 with 59 receptions for 796 yards. Since that season he's compiled just 31 catches for 395 yards.

Davis joins a deep tight end group that includes Rob Gronkowski,Michael Hoomanawanui, Tim Wright, Scott Chandler and sixth-round pick A.J. Derby.

Once viewed as a Pro Bowl-level talent, Davis signing is another Bill Belichick special. If Davis doesn't wow, the Pats cut him and move forward. If he flashes some of his 2011 ability, they bought a bargain.

The latest Around The NFL Podcast reacts to the most recent "Deflategate" news and discusses the current state of all 16 NFC teams. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.

Odell Beckham Jr. goes wild over LeBron James winner

2015-05-11T10:46:00.002-07:00

The Cleveland Cavaliers evened their playoff series with the Chicago Bulls on Sunday thanks to LeBron James, whose buzzer-beating jumper sealed a huge road win.

James has fans all over the world, but it's hard to imagine too many match the enthusiasm of Giantswide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who just about lost his damn mind while watching the final seconds of the Cavs' victory. Evidential proof:

Beckham's superstar status was sealed last December when James invited Beckham to dinner when the four-time NBA MVP was in town for a Knicks game. James said afterward that he "let (Beckham) pick my brain a little bit." How magnanimous of the King.

"He's just my favorite athlete," a beaming Beckham said the day after, according to the New York Daily News. "Just to be able to meet him and to be able to talk to him, and him to be able to share some words. It was a good time."

Let's hope ODB continues to document his delirious James fandom during the NBA playoffs.

The latest Around The NFL Podcast reacts to the most recent "Deflategate" news and discusses the current state of all 16 NFC teams. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW

Tim Nicot: Second Belgian player dies of cardiac arrest

2015-05-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

Lower-league footballer Tim Nicot has become the second Belgian player to die of cardiac arrest in the past two weeks.

The 23-year-old left-back for fourth-tier Wilrijk-Beerschot was playing in a tournament in Hemiksem when he collapsed on Friday.

He was placed in an induced coma and his club confirmed his death on Monday.

In late April, Lokeren defender Gregory Mertens, 24, died after collapsing during a reserve game.

A club statement said Nicot "fought like a bear" and was the "idol of our supporters".

It described him as "always in a good mood, always making time for an umpteenth selfie with a fan".

Three years ago Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba, then 23, suffered a cardiac arrest in an FA Cup game with Tottenham. He was "in effect dead" for 78 minutes but survived, although he never played again.

Nicot's team-mate Wesley Snoeys said: "So many questions. Always the same question comes up: why why why? You left us far too soon. I will never forget you. Forever in my heart."

Jef Snyders, another Wilrijk-Beerschot player, added: "Football will never be the same anymore. Rest in peace mate."

Jerramy Stevens released from jail after DUI sentence

2015-05-11T10:16:00.001-07:00

TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) -- Former Seattle Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens has been freed from jail in Los Angeles County after serving two days of a 30-day sentence for drunken driving.

Jail records show that Stevens was booked on Friday morning and released Sunday afternoon. He still must complete a two-year alcohol program and four years of probation.

Stevens, who's married to soccer star Hope Solo, was arrested in Manhattan Beach, California, in January while driving a U.S. women's soccer team van at night with the lights off.

Authorities said his blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit, and he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor drunken driving.

Solo was Stevens' passenger. She was suspended from the national team for 30 days for what were described as health-related issues.

Football players find no one way to train in offseason

2015-05-10T11:56:00.000-07:00

While several of the area’s top football players use track as a way to springboard their way into the football season, it is not the only way for elite athletes to be in peak physical condition for the grueling summer months.

Offseason work is all about getting bigger, faster and stronger, and that does not have to be done with blocks and a baton.

Walk into Total Athletic Development’s new Granville facility on the average day, and the training does not look too different from what athletes are doing on the track. Owner Clint Cox began working with football players on their strength, explosion and change of direction soon after the 2014 season ended.

“If you want to run track because you love track, want to be a part of a team or play a spring sport, then run track. It could be a great sport for people,” Cox said. “If you want to run track because it will make you faster for football, there are probably other ways to do that to make it geared toward a football player’s needs.”

Cox noted the importance of avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. Some of his athletes are already strong and need to increase their flexibility, whereas others need the weight training to hold up during a long fall.

Nick Showman, owner of Showtime Strength & Performance, has a mix of football players. Whereas several are working with Showman in place of competing in a spring sport, others, including Utica’s Colton Danison, are using their work with him to supplement one.

“With (Danison) specifically, he is a super strong kid, so we have to keep his mobility up,” Showman said. “We have to keep his hips and his hamstrings to where they are not too tight. His max weight is heavy right now, so it is more speed and accessory work to complement his weak areas.”

Newark assistant football coach Terrell White certainly sees benefit in keeping the Wildcats on the athletic fields so to speak. White is assisting with the track program in hopes of seeing more athletes move in that direction.

Newark plays in the Ohio Capital Conference-Ohio Division, one of the state’s most competitive conferences in most every sport. White said success and confidence can carry over to the following season.

“It’s still a question of mental toughness,” he said. “No matter what sport, I like the fact that they have to compete. You show up to win.”

Johnstown senior Cody Farley has nothing against track, but he simply needed a break each spring. After playing football and basketball each of his four years at Johnstown, Farley wanted a chance to move at his own pace.

That is not to say Farley was kicking his feet up. He and his football teammates, many of whom do not play a spring sport, lifted four days a week each spring.

“Once it started to get warm out, we would do agility training to work on our foot speed and off-the-ball quickness,” said Farley, who will play running back at Denison University next fall.

Farley said the informal work in the spring was a great bonding experience for the Johnnies. A tight-knit senior class fed off each other on the field while winning the Licking County League-Small School Division title.

“Because of the bonding, once actual practice starts, you know how hard you can push and how hard you can push all of the other guys,” Farley said. “It gets intense, and you don’t want your teammates to give up.”

Ask Watkins Memorial junior Evan Caniff, however, and he says nothing beats track. He can catch a kickoff at the goal line and be in the opposite end zone in less than 11 seconds.

“It helps a lot with getting a burst, so I can go from 0 to 100 real quick,” he said

2015-05-10T02:47:00.000-07:00

Highest paid sports players in the world

Posted on Mar 19 2015 - 2:51pm by EconomicFigures

We all love sports. We all love the excitement it brings to our lives. Whether a team sport or not, we all follow the best players. We all idolize them.

Everyday, they offer us something extraordinary in their respective gaming fields. Those players are paid accordingly. Here are top 10 highest paid athletes in the world in 2014.

1	Floyd Mayweather	105m usd	Boxing
2	Cristiano Ronaldo	80m usd	Soccer
3	LeBron James	72,3m usd	Basketball
4	Lionel Messi	64,7m usd	Soccer
5	Kobe Bryant	61,5m usd	Basketball
6	Tiger Woods	61,2m usd	Golf
7	Roger Federer	56,2m usd	Tennis
8	Phil Mickelson	53,2m usd	Golf
9	Rafael Nadal	44,5m usd	Tennis
10	Matt Ryan	43,8m usd	Football

Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (born Floyd Joy Sinclair, February 24, 1977) is an American professional boxer. He is undefeated as aprofessional and is a five-division world champion, having won eleven world titles and the lineal championship in four different weight classes. Mayweather is a two-time Ring magazine Fighter of the Year (winning the award in 1998 and 2007); he also won the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Fighter of the Year award in 2007 and the Best Fighter ESPY Award in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, GOIH (born 5 February 1985), known as Cristiano Ronaldo(Portuguese pronunciation: [kɾɨʃtiˈɐnu ʁuˈnaɫdu]), is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Real Madrid C.F. and the Portugal national team. He is a forward and serves as captain for Portugal.

By the age of 22, Ronaldo had received Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year, in 2008, he won his first Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. He followed this up by winning the FIFA Ballon d’Or in2013 and 2014. He also won the 2013–14 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. In January 2014, Ronaldo scored his 400th senior career goal for club and country aged 28.

LeBron James

LeBron Raymone James (/ləˈbrɒn/; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for theCleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing at 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) and weighing 250 lb (113 kg), he has started at the small forward and power forward positions. James has won two NBA championships, four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, two NBA Finals MVP Awards, two Olympic gold medals, an NBA scoring title, and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He has also been selected to 11 NBA All-Star teams, 10 All-NBA teams, and six All-Defensive teams, and is the Cavaliers’ all-time leading scorer.

2015-05-10T02:30:00.000-07:00

Rules of Football for Kids

Football is a popular sport for kids to play and to watch.

Football is a uniquely American sport and often a favorite of kids. Whether they are playing or watching their favorite pro team, understanding the rules is the first step to enjoying the game.

The Game

The object of the game of football is to score points by getting the ball over your opponent’s goal line. The ball can be carried, thrown or kicked over the goal line and into the end zone, a 10-yard area beyond the goal line. In order to get the ball to the goal line, the team that has the football has four chances -- called downs -- to move the ball at least 10 yards down the 100-yard field. If they cannot gain at least 10 yards in four attempts, the ball is turned over to the other team.

Starting the Game

There is a coin toss at the beginning of the game, and the team that wins has the choice to kick the ball to the other team or to receive the kickoff, getting the first possession of the ball. At the start of the second half of play, the team that received at the start kicks off. The receiver who catches the ball can run with it down the field toward the other team’s goal. Members of the defensive team can stop the runner by tackling -- or knocking down -- the ball carrier. Play stops at the point where the ball carrier is tackled.

Playing the Game

The ball is placed at the point where the receiver was tackled. This point is called the line of scrimmage. Players line up on either side of the ball for the first down. A member of the offensive team -- or the team that has the ball -- places his hands on the ball. When the play starts, this player -- called the center -- tosses the ball between his legs to the quarterback, who is positioned behind the center. The quarterback can then throw the ball to another player, or run with it. If the ball travels 10 yards or more, either by being carried by the quarterback or caught or carried by another player, there is another first down. If the ball travels less than 10 yards before the ball carrier is tackled, it becomes second down. The ball must be moved a total of 10 yards in four downs in order for the offense to get a first down and retain control of the ball.

Penalties

Football is a very physical game, and there are a lot of rules designed to protect players from getting hurt. For example, when tackling an opposing player, a player cannot grab the other player’s face mask or shoulder pads. Players cannot tackle a player who does not have the ball from behind, and they cannot interfere with the kicker or a player who is receiving a pass. Violations are punished by the offending team having to move back on the field, further away from the opposing goal.

Scoring

When the football is carried or passed into the end zone it is a touchdown, and 6 points are awarded to the offensive team. After the touchdown, that same team has the opportunity to score either 1 or 2 additional points. Kicking the ball from the 2-yard line through the upright goal posts scores 1 point. Carrying or passing the ball into the end zone scores 2 points. A field goal -- when the ball is kicked through the upright goal posts in the end zone -- is worth 3 points. A safety -- when the player holding the ball is tackled in his own end zone -- scores 2 poinby Karen Doyle, Demand Mediats for the defensive team.