Honesty Is The Best Policy
by Cheval John
Some media pundits would say ‘if you’re not cheating, you are not trying.’
Many can attest that soccer is the poster child for that statement.
The casual fan sees the majority of players diving or faking an injury in order to get a call from the referee.
They would immediately have a stereotypical view of the sport because of that.
I saw the opposite of that in a match between Everton F.C. and Newcastle United on Monday.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the 64th minute, Everton’s Victor Anichebe was going for the ball on a breakaway to try to score the go-ahead goal.
However, Newcastle’s goalkeeper Steve Harper came out of his box to clear the ball and in the process was clipped by Anichebe.
The referee signaled a foul and it seemed like Anichebe was going to be penalized.
In an instant, Harper told the referee that Anichebe was for the ball and not for him.
Normally in that circumstance, a player would receive a yellow card.
If the foul was really severe, then a red card would be issued and the player would be ejected from the match.
Harper had the opportunity to get Anichebe sent off because the Nigerian forward was playing very well late in the competition.
But he decided to be honest and it kept Anichebe in the game.
That shows that they are some people who are willing to play the right way and do what is right no matter what.
Many would focus on the outcome of the game or the missed calls by the referees.
For me, Harper’s action was the shining moment of the match.
You Can’t Always Get Your Wish
By Cheval John
Clint Dempsey always had a chip on his shoulder.
He never had an entitlement like others who play the sport of soccer had during their childhood.
He grew up in a lower-middle class family in Nacogdoches, Texas where he had to fight for everything.
He carried that attitude all the way to the English Premier League, where he displayed his talent and ability to score at will for Fulham, F.C.
During that time, he played under four head coaches and each time, he had to prove himself time and time again.
That what separated him from the others as he became the first American international to score 50 career goals in the EPL and establish himself as one of the best players in the world.
Dempsey always had a knack for knowing what he wants.
He got a taste of what it was like to play in a European club competition when Fulham played in the UEFA Europa League during the 2009-10 season.
His most memorable moment came in the second leg of the match against Juventus in Craven Cottage, when he chip in a beautiful ball from outside the penalty area into the net for the game-winning goal that knocked the Italian club out of the competition.
They made it to the final that season, but lost to Atletico Madrid.
He knew that he was not getting any younger and that he made it clear that he wanted to play for an UEFA Champions League club.
To him, it was not about the money, but the very opportunity to experience the atmosphere of playing in what is arguably, the most prestigious club competitions in Europe.
Liverpool, F.C. showed interest in acquiring Dempsey during the off season.
Dempsey didn’t travel with the team for training and was determined to get out with all possible means.
The Reds wavered because they did not meet the asking price by Fulham.
By the time the 2012-13 season began, Dempsey did not report to the team, which indicated that he was done with the club.
On the other hand, Liverpool tried to make a last ditch effort by midnight on Friday before the transfer window, but to no avail.
It seemed as if Dempsey was going to remain at Fulham.
But, at the last minute, Tottenham Hotspur reached an agreement with the Cottagers to acquire Dempsey.
The Spurs are currently in the Europa League this season after being knocked out by Chelsea, who won the UEFA Champions League final last season.
Though it wasn’t the team that Dempsey wanted, he got his wish because not only is he playing for a club that came close to play in the Champions League, but he doesn’t have to move miles away from his home in London.
Some see this drama as him being selfish because he is making millions of dollars and is playing in the best league in the world.
But to others, they see a player who wants to experience the atmosphere of playing in the Champions League.
Depending on which side of the fence you’re on, one thing is certain; Dempsey will not make the U.S. National team when they play Jamaica in the qualifier matches for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil that is set to begin in a couple of weeks.
Lance Armstrong Banned For Life
by Cheval John
Everyone believed that Lance Armstrong was an inspiration.
They saw how a man overcame cancer to win seven consecutive Tour De France titles.
Some would compare him to athletes who have dominated their respective sports from Michael Jordan to Pele.
Now he will be remembered as the guy who used banned substances to win the most prestigious race in cycle.
The USDA announced today that Armstrong is banned from the sport of cycling and stripped him of his seven Tour De France titles.
The decision came after Armstrong dropped the fight against the USDA on Thursday.
“There come a point in every man’s life when he has to say, “ ‘Enough is enough,’” Armstrong said on his website.
He went on to say that the charges that were brought against him by the USDA is “unconstitutional witch hunt.”
Because the USDA has not provided any reason why they charged Armstrong with doping, they will have to
Though he decided not to fight the charges anymore, he still believes that he is innocent and that the truth will come out one day.
In reality, if someone stops fighting to clear his name from any charges, then they admitted that the charges are true.
Armstrong really cannot say that he is innocent anymore because actions speaks louder than words and his action confirmed the accusations that was made against him by many people who were associated with him.
Instead of being a hero, he is now the biggest fraud in the history of sports.
Missing Out On History
by Cheval John
When NBC showed the bronze medal game between the Brazilian duo of Julianna/Larissa and China’s duo of Zhang Xi and Xue Chen, I believed that they were going to show the gold medal match between Americans Kerry Walsh-Jennings/ Misty May-Treanor and Jennifer Kessy/April Ross right after that match.
Instead, they showed track and field at 3 p.m., which I didn’t care for at the time and then the men’s water polo match between the USA and Serbia, by which the men’s team got destroyed by Serbia .
Not that I didn’t like track and field, but I wanted to witness history.
I wanted to see if May-Treanor/Walsh would win their third consecutive gold medal at the London Olympics or get defeated by an up and coming duo of Kessy/Ross.
May/Walsh eventually defeated Kessy/Ross by the score of 21-16, 21-16 to claim their third straight Olympic gold.
It was the first time that competitors from the same country were playing for a gold medal since the inception of beach volleyball in the Olympics in 1996 when competitors from Brazil faced off for the coveted gold.
Walsh/May have excelled in tournaments and Olympic competition since they became partners in 2001.
They have been the face of beach volleyball and have grown the sport with their enthusiasm and domination.
Everyone expected them to be in the gold medal game.
However, no one expected Kessy/Ross to be there.
The duo have competed in AVP and FIVA tours since 2007.
They even knocked off the Walsh/May on September 7, 2008 to advance to the final of the AVP tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio.
They earned it the hard way by defeating Brazilian duo and No.1 Julianna/Larissa in three sets to make it to the gold medal match.
But NBC decided to show the game in prime time, which ruined everything and once again cheated the audience out of history.
I was bound to find out the results before it aired one way or another through the internet.
Many people complained that MSN should not have showned the results of the match before the actual event aired.
In reality, they did what they are suppose to do: get the information out there as soon as it happened.
Some even suggested that NBC should have shown the event live and then show it again in replay for those who missed it.
That way, those that missed it, can at least see how they got to that result.
I wonder if the executives of NBC ever thought of that.
One Little Step Can Make A Difference
by Cheval John
Everyone’s aspiration is to make a difference in the world.
Many believe that you need to have a whole lot of money, or to be well known in order to fulfill that aspiration.
The reality is that “you are already making a difference in the world everyday.”
Whether it is by saying words of encouragement to make someone’s day better, saying hi to someone to let them know that they are important or buying them a cup of coffee. You get the picture.
If you want to do more and make this world a better place, then watch this video by Marie Forleo of MarieTV.
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