Month: November 2013

college sports, sports culture

Divert sports funding to arts?

Posted on by Beau Dure

A Gary Gutting piece at the NYT’s philosophy blog starts out reassuring us that the lack of humanities majors isn’t a bad thing (after all, we can’t everyone being like me) then meanders to suggestions for shoring up the “cultural middle class.”

Then it gets interesting:

Fair treatment for writers and artists is an even more difficult matter, which will ultimately require a major change in how we think about support for the arts. Fortunately, however, we already have an excellent model, in our support of athletics. Despite our general preference for capitalism, our support for sports is essentially socialist, with local and state governments providing enormous support for professional teams. To cite just one striking example, the Minnesota State Legislature recently appropriated over $500 million to help build the Vikings a new stadium. At the same time, the Minnesota Orchestra is close to financial disaster because it can’t erase a $6 million deficit. If the Legislature had diverted only 10 percent of its support for football, it would have covered that deficit for the next eight years.

Over all, taxpayer money provides more than a billion dollars annually in tax exemptions and stadium subsidies for N.F.L. teams. Other sports also receive generous support. Even major universities subsidize professional sports through their (mostly money-losing) athletic programs, which provide a continuing influx of professional players. Universities could reduce their efforts to field teams playing at near-professional levels and direct the money saved to artistic activities much closer to their core mission.

Provocative question.

You could easily argue that sports mean more to the typical city than a symphony does. Go to a town like Boston — the music is fantastic, but the sports teams (especially the Red Sox) are a massive presence.

At a college? Hard to say. Even within the arts, you find intriguing budget decisions. I always wondered why my school had a bunch of antique instruments but could barely manage a working set of tympani. But then you move over to the athletics department and find the best possible facilities for nearly every sport. Some college soccer players go “pro” and are stunned to find some travel arrangements and other aspects of pro life don’t measure up to what they had in college.

But as a former college musician, I’m not sure I can complain about that. I have to admit most sports teams at Duke had larger crowds than I saw for our Wind Symphony concerts. Also, it was just a bit easier to make the Marching Band than it was to make the soccer team.

Are the arts really closer to a “core mission” of a college than the sports teams? I don’t know about that. I’m not really sure why I got course credit for Wind Symphony, Percussion Ensemble AND my P.E. courses, but my friends on the volleyball team got no such credit for their sport.

So, again — provocative question.

3
basketball, college sports, mind games, olympic sports, winter sports

At Ozy.com: Magnus Carlsen, hoops freshmen, curling

Posted on by Beau Dure

If you haven’t checked out Ozy.com yet, please do. It’s a terrific site capturing the next wave of what’s important, what’s interesting and what’s cool.

And I’m not just saying that because they’ve given me the opportunity to write three terrific pieces:

– Magnus Carlsen, the new face of chess (written before he won the world title)

– College basketball’s big freshmen: Jabari Parker, Julius Randle, Andrew Wiggins

– Curling: From the Olympics to Arizona, it’s catching on. Can the USA harness that interest and build better teams?

The medal projections here at SportsMyriad are ongoing. Freestyle skiing just takes a while.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

1
mma

UFC needs Georges St. Pierre, not vice versa

Posted on by Beau Dure

The absurd pressure on Georges St. Pierre to come back to the Octagon tout suite and defend his title against Johny Hendricks one more time sounds like the act of a desperate Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The overwhelming consensus is that GSP should have lost Saturday’s fight to Hendricks by every measure except two of the three judges’ scorecards. (I confess I had to skip this one, but every reporter and pundit I trust has agreed with the mob: 48-47 Hendricks.) GSP then babbled his way through postfight interviews, hinting at major trouble outside the cage.

Fight fans had every right to be saddened at the sight. St. Pierre has been one of the fight game’s classiest champions for years, combining rare athleticism with sophistication and charm. I covered a couple of his fights, and the crowd’s “G-S-P!” chants still ring in my ears. Few fighters have had such respect.

After his dubious title defense Saturday, that respect was lost. Dana White ranted that GSP “owes” everyone a rematch.

I’m sorry Luke Thomas’ #GSPOwesMe hashtag didn’t take off.

(Luke also has an eloquent summary of the cruel demands placed on GSP.)

And I’m sorrier to say the situation has deteriorated from there. TMZ quickly got into the fray with some reports on what may be causing GSP’s problems. A few others did as well.

I’m not sorry to see Johny Hendricks isn’t holding the belt. By all accounts, he fought a stupid fifth round. Dana White reminds fighters not to leave it in the hands of the judges. Hendricks did, and he left a bad final impression. A quick check of the numbers shows he should never have been so cocky.

Now his manager, Ted Ehrhardt, is making it worse. “No respectful champion would want to go out on those terms,” he says. Then this:

I would hope GSP would come back and do the right thing. If he’s going through stuff, of course you feel bad for a guy for that. But he’s made a lot of money in this sport. Like Dana said, he owes it to the sport, not just Johny and the UFC.

Remember when the UFC wasn’t riddled with former wrestlers who have no concept of the values of martial arts? I do, but those memories are starting to fade.

And that’s the bigger problem.

The UFC has already had a big changing of the guard. The pioneers — Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, the Shamrocks — are mostly gone. Even Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar, who ushered the UFC into its peak years with their frenetic finale of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, have moved on.

Six months ago, the UFC had three champions who were clearly among the all-time greats — St. Pierre, Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. Silva recklessly threw away his belt against Chris Weidman in July. Jones squeaked his way past Alexander Gustafsson in September, though that fight was an instant classic. Now St. Pierre is down, possibly out.

And if not for two judges’ iconoclastic view of the first round Saturday, one of the most popular and likable champions of the sport would have been replaced with someone who sounds like Matt Hughes without the jokes.

Hendricks can evolve, of course. It won’t be the end of the world if he grows up and eventually takes the belt without the attitude. But the issue here for the UFC is the prospect of GSP, one of the last true stars of the sport, to walk away and leave a messy void. Unfortunately for the UFC, GSP has every right to do that. His body has failed him in recent years, and now things look bad in other aspects of his life — Joe Rogan has become the voice of reason in suggesting that he should simply move on. No one has the right to demand that he go into the cage and suffer any more. The fact that people think otherwise is a sad commentary on the state of the sport.

There are no shortcuts in MMA training. And there are no shortcuts in MMA promotion. If the UFC has to go through a rebuilding period without its major stars, so be it. Those stars don’t need to “step up.” It’s time for other people to do it. And those people can start by acting like they’re worthy of the fame, fortune and respect that come along with crowning a champion and being one.

0
soccer

Single-Digit Soccer: Parental habits develop early

Posted on by Beau Dure

This weekend, I coached a U8 All-Star team in a tournament here in suburban Northern Virginia. The kids were rambunctious but fun, and I saw a few glimpses of good soccer emerging.

They say this is a vital age for developing good habits rather than poor habits that will be hard to break. I think that’s true. But perhaps moreso for parents (and coaches) than for players.

The parents on my team were terrific. They got their kids everywhere they needed to be, on time. They put together a wonderful photo album and brought plenty of snacks for everyone. No one had any ridiculous demands. I surely didn’t hear everything they yelled in the course of the game, but I didn’t hear anything silly.

So let’s talk about some of the other teams, from what I witnessed and what I heard from other coaches:

– A U10 girl had the ball in her own half under no pressure whatsoever. A parent was maybe 10 feet away, yelling “Kick it hard!” She did, and it went about 15 yards to midfield before rolling out of play. “Good job!” the parent yelled.

– Some parents and coaches ran the length of the sideline during games to offer their high-volume input. One team’s coaches ran directly in front of my clubmates on their half of the sideline and blew vuvuzelas when their team scored. Somehow, this game didn’t end up in a massive viral-video brawl, for which I credit my clubmates. (The same club had another All-Star team with out-of-control parents, but they apparently forgot their horns.)

– U10 boys game: Player was offside by 10 yards, not called. Our club’s keeper tried to make the save and broke his wrist in the ensuing collision. Ref let play continue until the other team scored. Our club’s team also had four guys come off the field with injuries after uncalled fouls. (The opposing club, incidentally, is a D.C. United affiliate. But this is house league, so I don’t think you’ll see these kids injuring opponents in a Developmental Academy game down the road.)

– Similarly, a U8 coach was stunned to learn from the ref, a coach and parents that his players were totally out of control.

– U8 players and their coach practicing headers. (On a really, really good team — they have no house league, so this is basically a “pre-travel” team that does nothing but practice 2-3 times a week and play “pre-travel” events. But they’re nice people, and my goodness, some of their players have fantastic skills. You can tell they play more pickup soccer in a week than most suburbanites play in a year.)

It’s a strange tournament in the sense that I can’t imagine U.S. Soccer being thrilled with the game setup — five-a-side, no goalkeepers and big goals. So one of our club’s parents was lamenting the soccer on display — kids just slamming the ball toward that big goal while a coach yelled to kick it hard.

But it was fun. It’s different from our usual house-league soccer (five-a-side, smaller goals) and the pre-travel/academy/crossover league (six-a-side, goalkeepers). And I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.

A lot of U8 players lean toward magnetball — everyone gathered around the ball. This tournament may have taught them the value of keeping heads up and spreading out. (Those were the only two lessons I tried to get across in two weeks of practice: “Head up” and “Spread out.” I was tempted to add “Can’t lose,” but first of all, I don’t think they’ve seen Friday Night Lights. Second of all, you actually can lose. Third, it’s not that funny.)

From a coaching perspective, I walked into a dilemma with one player. A common complaint in youth-soccer circles is that parents and coaches try to discourage dribbling and make kids pass it. I had someone with the best one-on-one dribbling skills I’ve seen. And sometimes one-on-two. When it got to be one-on-three or one-on-four, it was hard not to notice the teammate standing wide open in front of the goal, and it was hard not to be a little frustrated when he finally lost the ball without attempting that pass.

But I think the kids are learning. We saw some beautiful goals — a couple on clever passes, a couple on terrific individual efforts, a couple on loose balls, and a couple of pure accidents. We didn’t magically turn players into technically and tactically sound soccer players, but they made progress.

So what do we do about the adults?

1
medal projections, olympic sports

2014 medal projections: Cross-country skiing

Posted on by Beau Dure

Updated Jan. 14

Welcome to one of two busiest sports in the Winter Olympics. Only speedskating can keep pace with the 12 medal events in cross-country skiing, though they’re trying to bulk up the extreme sports of snowboarding and freestyle skiing.

This is also one of the sports I covered in Whistler at the 2010 Olympics. By the end, I think I could’ve driven from the main village to the Olympic Park with my eyes closed. But it was pretty, so I wouldn’t want to do that.

The USA still has just one medalist in cross-country skiing — Bill Koch, one of the pioneers of the freestyle (skate-style) technique. Today’s cross-country races mandate either freestyle or classical technique, rotating in different with each Olympics. Some skiers are slightly better in one technique or the other, so the medalist comparisons with 2010 will be a little inexact. But the USA has medal chances this time, mostly in the sprint events.

Away we go …

MEN

15k (classical)

Gold: Alexey Poltoranin (Kazakhstan)
Silver: Maxim Vylegzhanin (Russia)
Bronze: Petter Northug (Norway)

Also considered: Sjur Roethe (Norway), Martin Johnsrud Sundby (Norway)

2013 World Championship (freestyle) top 8: Northug, Johan Olsson (Sweden), Tord Asle Gjerdalen (Norway), Ivan Babikov (Canada), Roethe, Calle Halfvarsson (Sweden), Aivar Rehemaa (Estonia), Dario Cologna (Switzerland)

2010 Olympic (freestyle) medalists: Cologna, Pietro Piller Cottrer (Italy), Lukas Bauer (Czech Republic)

Classical results: Matti Heikkinen won the 2011 Worlds and 2009 bronze. Winners in 2013 World Cup: Vylegzhanin, Poltoranin (two), Northug, Eldar Roenning.

50k mass start (freestyle)

Gold: Petter Northug (Norway)
Silver: Maxim Vylegzhanin (Russia)
Bronze: Alexander Legkov (Russia)

Also considered: Dario Cologna (Switzerland), Johan Olsson (Sweden)

2013 World Championship (classical) top 8: Olsson, Cologna, Alexey Poltoranin (Kazakhstan), Legkov, Eldar Roenning (Norway), Tord Asle Gjerdalen (Norway), Hannes Dotzler (Germany), Maxim Vylegzhanin (Russia)

2010 Olympic (classical) medalists: Northug, Axel Teichmann (Germany), Johan Olsson (Sweden)

Freestyle results: Northug won 2009 and 2011 World Championships, with Vylegzhanin second; Legkov won sole 2013 World Cup 50k and was second to Northug in Tour de Ski 35k.

Skiathlon: 15k classic + 15k free

Gold: Dario Cologna (Switzerland)
Silver: Martin Johnsrud Sundby (Norway)
Bronze: Petter Northug (Norway)

Also considered: Ilia Chernousov (Russia), Marcus Hellner (Sweden), Alexander Legkov (Russia), Sjur Roethe (Norway), Maxim Vylegzhanin (Russia)

2013 World Championship top 8: Cologna, Sundby, Roethe, Northug, Vylegzhanin, Legkov, Calle Halfvarsson (Sweden), Hellner

2010 Olympic medalists: Hellner, Tobias Angerer (Germany), Johan Olsson (Sweden)

World Cup results: Cologna and Maurice Manificat (France) won the 2013 races.

Sprint (freestyle)

Gold: Emil Joensson (Sweden)
Silver: Petter Northug (Norway)
Bronze: Nikita Kriukov (Russia)

Also considered: Ola Vigen Hattestad (Norway), Marcus Hellner (Sweden), Josef Wenzl (Germany)

2013 World Championship (classical) top 8: Kriukov, Northug, Alex Harvey (Canada), Joensson, Paal Golberg (Norway), Erik Brandsval (Norway), Calle Halfvarsson (Sweden), Toni Ketelae (Finland)

2010 Olympic (classical) medalists: Kriukov, Alexander Panzhinskiy (Russia), Northug

Freestyle results: Hellner won the 2011 world title, with Northug second and Joensson third. Joensson won three 2013 World Cup events. Northug won another. Hattestad won the 2009 world title.

Team sprint (classical)

Gold: Russia
Silver: Norway
Bronze: Sweden

Also considered: Canada, Finland, Germany

2013 World Championship (freestyle) top 8: Russia (Petukhov-Kriukov), Sweden (Hellner-Joensson), Kazakhstan (Chebotko-Poltoranin), Canada (Kershaw-Harvey), Italy (Hofer-Pellegrino), France (Gaillard-Manificat), Austria (Wurm-Tritscher), Czech Republic (Kozisek-Razym)

2010 Olympic (freestyle) medalists: Norway (Pettersson-Northug), Germany (Tscharnke-Teichmann), Russia (Morilov-Petukhov)

Classical results: Canada won the 2011 world title, with Norway and Russia next. Norway won in 2009, with Germany and Finland on the podium. 2013 World Cup: Russia won three medals in two races with three different pairs. Norway, Sweden and Germany also reached the podium.

4x10k relay (mixed techniques)

Gold: Norway
Silver: Sweden
Bronze: Russia

Also considered: Czech Republic, Italy

2013 World Championship top 8: Norway, Sweden, Russia, Italy, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Japan

2010 Olympic medalists: Sweden, Norway, Czech Republic

World Cup results: Norway and Sweden finished 1-2 in each race.

WOMEN

10k (classical)

Gold: Marit Bjoergen (Norway)
Silver: Justyna Kowalczyk (Poland)
Bronze: Heidi Weng (Norway)

Also considered: Therese Johaug (Norway)

2013 World Championship (freestyle) top 8: Johaug, Bjoergen, Yulia Tchekaleva (Russia), Miriam Goessner (Germany), Liz Stephen (USA), Heidi Weng (Norway), Charlotte Kalla (Sweden), Riitta-Liisa Roponen (Finland)

2010 Olympic medalists: Kalla, Kristina Smigun-Vaehi (Estonia), Bjoergen

Classical results: Bjoergen won the 2011 world title. Kowalczyk was third in 2009, second in 2011. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen won the 2009 world title and was third in 2011. Bjoergen and Kowalczyk traded World Cup wins, with Weng and Johaug in the mix.

30k mass start (freestyle)

Gold: Justyna Kowalczyk (Poland)
Silver: Therese Johaug (Norway)
Bronze: Marit Bjoergen (Norway)

Also considered: Yulia Tchekaleva (Russia)

2013 World Championship (classical) top 8: Bjoergen, Kowalczyk, Johaug, Heidi Weng (Norway), Nicole Fessel (Germany), Anna Haag (Sweden), Kerttu Niskanen (Finland), Anne Kylloenen (Finland)

2010 Olympic (classical) medalists: Kowalczyk, Bjoergen, Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (Finland)

Freestyle results: Kowalcyzk won the 2009 world title and was third in 2011 behind Johaug and Bjoergen. The only 30k on the 2013 World Cup calendar went Johaug, Kowalczyk, Tchekaleva.

Skiathlon: 7.5k classic + 7.5k free

Gold: Marit Bjoergen (Norway)
Silver: Therese Johaug (Norway)
Bronze: Kristin Stoermer Steira (Norway)

Also considered: Justyna Kowalczyk (Poland), Heidi Weng (Norway)

2013 World Championship top 8: Bjoergen, Johaug, Weng, Stoermer Steira, Kowalczyk, Charlotte Kalla (Sweden), Yulia Tchekaleva (Russia), Krista Lahteenmaki (Finland)

2010 Olympic medalists: Bjoergen, Anna Haag (Sweden), Kowalczyk

World Cup results: First one was Kowalczyk-Anne Kyllonen, second one was Stoermer Steira-Tchekaleva. Bjoergen has won the last two world titles.

Sprint (freestyle)

Gold: Kikkan Randall (USA)
Silver: Marit Bjoergen (Norway)
Bronze: Maiken Caspersen Falla (Norway)

Also considered: Denise Herrman (Germany) and Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (Norway)

2013 World Championship (classical) top 8: Bjoergen, Ida Ingemarsdotter (Sweden), Falla, Katja Visnar (Slovenia), Stina Nilsson (Sweden), Justyna Kowalczyk (Poland), Mona-Lisa Malvalehto (Finland), Alena Prochazkova (Slovakia)

2010 Olympic (classical) medalists: Bjoergen, Kowalczyk, Petra Madjic (Slovenia, retired)

Freestyle results: Randall won four 2013 events and was second to Caspersen Falla in the other. Most other medalists were Norwegian. Arianna Follis won the 2009 world title, with Randall second. Follis was second to Bjoergen in 2011, then retired.

Team sprint (classical)

Gold: Sweden
Silver: Finland
Bronze: Norway

Also considered: Italy, Russia, USA

2013 World Championship (freestyle) top 8: USA (Diggins-Randall), Sweden (Kalla-Ingemarsdotter), Finland (Sarasoja Lilja-Lahteenmaki), Norway (Oestberg-Falla), Italy (Piller-Debertolis), Slovenia (Visnar-Fabjan), Russia (Korosteleva-Matveeva), Germany (Kolb-Herrmann)

2010 Olympic (freestyle) medalists: Germany (Sachenbacher Stehle-Nystad), Sweden (Kalla-Haag), Russia (Artemova-Korosteleva)

Classical results: 2011 World Championship was Sweden-Finland-Norway. 2009 was Finland-Sweden-Italy. 2013 World Cups: Norway-Sweden-Sweden, Finland-Russia-Canada

4x5k relay (mixed techniques)

Gold: Norway
Silver: Sweden
Bronze: Finland

Also considered: Germany, Russia, USA

2013 World Championship top 8: Norway, Sweden, Russia, USA, Finland, France, Germany, Italy

2010 Olympic medalists: Norway, Germany, Finland

World Cup results: Norway-Sweden-USA, Norway-Finland-Norway.

BIOS

Men

Top five, 2012-13 World Cup overall: Petter Northug (Norway), Alexander Legkov (Russia), Dario Cologna (Switzerland), Alexey Poltoranin (Kazakhstan), Maxim Vylegzhanin (Russia)

Top five, 2012-13 World Cup distance races: Legkov, Cologna, Northug, Poltoranin, Ilia Chernousov (Russia)

Top five, 2012-13 World Cup sprint: Emil Joensson (Sweden), Northug, Nikita Kriukov (Russia), Teodor Peterson (Sweden), Andy Newell (USA)

Dual threat

Dario Cologna (Switzerland): Three-time overall World Cup champion (2009, 2011, 2012). Third overall in 2013, second in distances. 2010 Olympic gold medalist, 15k freestyle. Two medals in 2013 World Championships: 30k gold, 50k classical silver. Second in 2013 Tour de Ski, first in 2012. Several podium finishes in sprints as well as all distance races.

Marcus Hellner (Sweden): Third overall in 2010, then seventh, fourth, ninth. 2010 gold medalist in relay and 30k. Better in World Cup distance races but also has 2011 world sprint title and 2013 silver in team sprint, along with some relay medals.

Petter Northug (Norway): Two-time overall World Cup champion (2010, 2013). Also second in sprints in those years. Four medals in 2010 Olympics: 50k classical gold, team sprint gold, relay silver, classical sprint bronze. Nine world championships: four relay, two 50k freestyle, two 30k, one 15k freestyle. Also second in 2011 free sprint and 2013 classical sprint.

Alexey Poltoranin (Kazakhstan): Breakthrough in 2013: fourth overall, fourth in distance, sixth in sprints. 2013 World Championship bronze medals in two vastly different events: 50k classical, freestyle team sprint. 2010 Olympics: fifth in team sprint (freestyle), fifth in sprint (classical). Runs better in classical.

Sprints

Erik Brandsdal (Norway): Third in 2012 sprint standings. Three World Cup wins.

Alex Harvey (Canada): Third in 2013 World Championship sprint classical.

Ola Vigen Hattestad (Norway): 2009 sprint and team sprint world champion.

Emil Joensson (Sweden): World Cup sprint champion three of the last four years. 2011 Worlds: sprint free bronze. 2013 Worlds: team free sprint silver, sprint classical fourth.

Nikita Kriukov (Russia): Third in 2013 World Cup sprint standings, career best. 2010 gold medalist (sprint classical). 2013 world champion in sprint classical and team sprint free. Not as strong in free.

Andy Newell (USA): Fifth in 2013 World Cup sprint; career best is fourth in 2010. Three World Cup podiums.

Teodor Peterson (Sweden): World Cup sprint champion in 2012, interrupting Joensson’s reign. Fourth in 2013.

Len Valjas (Canada): Career-best eighth in 2013 sprint standings, his third year on circuit. Tour de Ski 2013: Third in sprint, second in 15k classical.

Distance races

Tobias Angerer (Germany): World Cup champion in 2006 and 2007. Fell far back in 2011 but rebounded for 11th overall in 2012, 14th in 2013. Four Olympic medals — two relay, 2006 15k classical bronze, 2010 30k silver. Also fourth in 2010 50k classical. Never a world champion but has plenty of medals, including some sprints years ago.

Lukas Bauer (Czech Republic): 2008 World Cup champion; second in 2010. Three Olympic medals: 2006 15k classical silver, 2010 15k free bronze, 2010 relay bronze. This would be his fifth Olympics. No world titles – only medal was 2009 15k classical silver.

Ilia Chernousov (Russia): Career bests in 2013 World Cup: sixth overall, fifth in distance. Third in 2011 World Championship 30k. World Cup podiums mostly in relays, mixed races and freestyles.

Tord Asle Gjerdalen (Norway): Two World Championship bronze medals: 2011 freestyle mass start, 2013 15k free.

Alexander Legkov (Russia): Second overall in 2007, then dropped off in World Cup until placing fifth in 2011 and 2012. Returned to second, first in distance races, in 2013. Two Olympics: fourth in 2010 30k. Also a few near-misses in World Championship 30k races and 2013 50k classical. Won 2013 Tour de Ski and the 50k free in March.

Johan Olsson (Sweden): World champion in 50k classical; silver in 15k freestyle. 2010 Olympics: bronze in 30k and 50k classical. Also 2010 relay gold and 2006 relay bronze. Not great on World Cup circuit.

Sjur Roethe (Norway): Career best in fourth year on World Cup circuit in 2013: 13th overall, eighth in distance. Fourth in 2011 World Championship 50k free. Two medals in 2013 worlds: relay gold, 30k bronze; also 15k free fifth.

Martin Johnsrud Sundby (Norway): Career bests in 2013 World Cup: eighth overall, sixth in distance, silver medal in World Championship 30k. On silver-medal relay team in 2010 Games. Three top-5s in 2011 worlds: relay gold, 15k classical bronze, 30k fifth.

Maxim Vylegzhanin (Russia): A couple of top 10s in the overall World Cup, peaking at fifth overall in 2013. Top 10 in 2010 Olympic 15k free and 50k classical. Medaled in last three World Championships: 2009 50k free silver, 2011 30k silver, 2011 50k free silver, 2013 relay bronze. Third in 2013 Tour de Ski. World Cup wins include one team sprint in Sochi.

Women

Top five, 2012-13 World Cup overall: Justyna Kowalczyk (Poland), Therese Johaug (Norway), Kikkan Randall (USA), Marit Bjoergen (Norway), Heidi Weng (Norway)

Top five, 2012-13 World Cup distance races: Kowalczyk, Johaug, Kristin Stoermer Steira (Norway), Heidi Weng (Norway), Anne Kylloenen (Finland)

Top five, 2012-13 World Cup sprint: Randall, Kowalczyk, Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg (Norway), Maiken Caspersen Falla (Norway), Kylloenen

Dual threat

Marit Bjoergen (Norway): Three-time World Cup overall champion (2005, 2006, 2012), four-time runner-up. Fourth in 2013 but missed Tour de Ski. Four-time World Cup sprint champion. Showed that versatility in 2010 Olympics with sprint gold, 15k gold and relay gold, plus 30k classical silver and 10k freestyle bronze. Nineteen World Championship medals and huge 2013: four golds (sprint classical, 15k, relay, 30k classical) and a silver (10k free). Also four golds and a silver in 2011.

Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (Norway): Second overall in 2008. Sprint classical world champion in 2007 and third in team sprints in 2007 and 2011, but getting more points in distance races recently.

Justyna Kowalczyk (Poland): Four-time World Cup overall champion (2009-11, 2013), runner-up in 2012. Swept overall, distance and sprint World Cup titles in 2010. Three medals in 2010 Olympics: 30k classical gold, sprint classical silver, 15k bronze. Also 2006 bronze in 30k free. Hasn’t won a world championship since 2009 (15k and 30k free). Second in 2013 30k classical. Not much recent success in freestyle sprints and actually withdrew from 2013 Tour de Ski to complain that events had been switched from classical to freestyle.

Anne Kylloenen (Finland): First big season in 2013, taking fifth in both distance and sprint standings yet somehow only seventh overall. Has one World Cup podium in each of five different events.

Sprints

Celine Brun-Lie (Norway): Sixth in 2013 sprint standings, with a few podiums.

Maiken Caspersen Falla (Norway): Fourth in 2013 sprint standings, down from second in 2012. World Championships: Bronze in 2011 team sprint classical, bronze in 2013 sprint classical, fourth in 2013 team sprint free.

Ida Ingemarsdotter (Sweden): Decent World Cup results but saved her best for World Championships: 2011 team sprint classical gold, 2013 sprint classical silver and team sprint free silver. Also silver in relay each of the last two championships.

Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg (Norway): Just turned 23. Third in 2013 sprint standings.

Kikkan Randall (USA): Back-to-back World Cup sprint champion. Also 10th in 2013 World Cup distance, moving her to third overall. Second in 2009 World Championship sprint free. World champion 2013 team sprint free (with Jessie Diggins). Definitely stronger in freestyle.

Distance races

Therese Johaug (Norway): Steady climb in World Cup overall: fourth in 2011, then third, then second. Two individual world championships — 2011 30k free, 2013 10k free. Four medals in 2013: the 10k free gold, relay gold, 15k silver, 30k classical bronze.

Charlotte Kalla (Sweden): Fourth overall in World Cup in 2008 and 2012. Olympic champion in 10k free; top 10 in two other 2010 races. Two team sprint World Championship medals and three relay medals.

Kristin Stoermer Steira (Norway): Tied career high with sixth place overall in 2013. Olympics: Relay gold and then FOUR fourth-place finishes between 2006 and 2010. Several World Championship medals, including world titles in relays.

Yulia Tchekaleva (Russia): Surprising third in 10k free in 2013 World Championships.

Heidi Weng (Norway): 22-year-old phenom was fifth in 2013 World Cup overall, fourth in distance. Bronze in 2013 World Championship 15k, fourth in 30k classical.

0
soccer

DNQ: U.S. youth soccer teams hitting a wall

Posted on by Beau Dure

Can we draw any conclusions from the USA’s failure to qualify for the U-17 Women’s World Cup? Or is the USA simply a victim of soccer’s cruelty? (We did say soccer karma doesn’t exist, except perhaps to see Real Salt Lake past Los Angeles last night.)

The statistics rounded up at Soccer America defy reason. In four qualification tournaments, the USA has outscored its opponents 103-3 and never lost a game. But the team has twice tied in knockout games, and each time, they’ve been eliminated on penalty kicks, yesterday by Mexico. So that’s two out of four U-17 Women’s World Cups that have taken place without the most accomplished country in women’s soccer.

“Maybe the U.S. women need a Developmental Academy like the men,” came one of the responses on Twitter last night. Perhaps. But things aren’t so good on the men’s side, either. The U.S. men’s U-17s lost in the CONCACAF quarterfinals to miss out on all four qualification spots. That’s the first time the U-17 men have missed out. The U-20s made it this year after missing out in 2011, which was the first time that had happened since 1995. The U-23s have failed to qualify for two of the last three Olympics, not even getting out of the group stage on home soil last time.

By comparison, the women have done well. The U-20s have won two of the last three World Cups.

On the whole, we have this strange paradox: As the country has grown more serious about herding its best youth players into elite national environments — the U-17 men’s Bradenton residency, the men’s Developmental Academy, the women’s Elite Clubs National League — the USA has fared worse in international youth tournaments.

Coincidence?

Partially, sure. Other factors include the growth of soccer elsewhere. On the women’s side, the USA’s growth is helping other countries — as Soccer America pointed out, the Mexican goal scorer and goalkeeper who eliminated the USA yesterday both play for the ECNL’s Texas Rush.

We can’t draw too many conclusions on the women’s side. The U-20s are fine. The U-17s have just had curious failures in penalty kicks, which old-school coaches often call a “lottery.” Sure, perhaps the U-17s should never let a game with Mexico get to that stage, but it’ll happen sometimes. Ask the senior women about their last World Cup qualification.

The men’s side is more puzzling. The USA used to round up a bunch of high school and college kids for these tournaments. They got a couple of semifinal and quarterfinal appearances in World Cups and the Olympics. Then nothing beyond the round of 16 since 2007.

It’s still not enough evidence to suggest something is systematically wrong. A bounce of the ball here or there can be the difference between a semifinal World Cup run or failure to qualify at all.

But it’s enough to suggest there’s no easy answer. Bradenton, the Academy and the ECNL aren’t going to produce champions through the sheer fact of their existence. It’s going to take rare talents, coached with care.

Systems don’t win championships. Players do. Or they lose and get an experience that will hopefully prepare them for better futures.

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medal projections, olympic sports, winter sports

2014 medal projections: Bobsled

Posted on by Beau Dure

Updated Jan. 14 and Feb. 4

No offense to those who give a big push at the start and go through the impeccably choreographed procedure of getting in the sled, but we’ll have to focus on drivers for these rankings. They’re the ones who get ranked, and the brakemen / brakewomen / push athletes will undoubtedly get shuffled before the Games.

Sweeps are theoretically possible. In each event, a couple of countries can bring three sleds. Some countries can even bring four drivers for the two men’s events.

But you can’t take a bunch of backup push athletes, which is why Lolo Jones and Lauryn Williams were somewhat controversial inclusions.

Here we go …

TWO-MAN

Gold: Beat Hefti (Switzerland)
Silver: Francesco Friedrich (Germany)
Bronze: Alexander Zubkov (Russia)

Also: Thomas Florschütz (Germany), Steven Holcomb (USA), Oskars Melbardis (Latvia), Lyndon Rush (Canada)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Holcomb, Hefti, Zubkov, Friedrich, Cory Butner (USA), Nick Cunningham (USA), Rush, Florschütz

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Rush, Melbardis, Manuel Machata (Germany), Holcomb, Zubkov, Friedrich, Simone Bertazzo (Italy), Butner … (Hefti and Florschütz missed part of the season.)

2013 World Championship top 8: Friedrich, Hefti, Florschütz, Holcomb, Melbardis, Chris Spring (Canada), Zubkov, Rush

2010 Olympic medalists: Andre Lange (Germany, retired), Florschütz, Zubkov

FOUR-MAN

Gold: Alexander Zubkov (Russia)
Silver: Maximilian Arndt (Germany)
Bronze: Steven Holcomb (USA)

Also: Oskars Melbardis (Latvia)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Arndt, Holcomb, Zubkov, Thomas Florschütz (Germany), Chris Spring (Canada), Alexander Kasjanov (Russia), Melbardis, Francesco Friedrich (Germany)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Zubkov, Melbardis, Manuel Machata (Germany), Arndt, John James Jackson (Britain), Holcomb, Lyndon Rush (Canada), Kasnajov

2013 World Championship top 8: Arndt, Zubkov, Holcomb, Hefti, Jackson, Rico Peter (Switzerland), Florschütz, Machata

2010 Olympic medalists: Holcomb, Andre Lange (Germany, retired), Rush

WOMEN

Gold: Kaillie Humphries (Canada)
Silver: Elana Meyers (USA)
Bronze: Sandra Kiriasis (Germany)

Also: Jamie Greubel (USA), Cathleen Martini (Germany), Anja Schneiderheinze (Germany)

World Cup 2013-14 top 8: Humphries, Meyers, Greubel, Kiriasis, Martini, Schneiderheinze, Jazmine Fenlator (USA), Fabienne Meyer (Switzerland)

World Cup 2012-13 top 8: Humphries, Kiriasis, Martini, Schneiderheinze, Esme Kamphuis (Netherlands), Meyers, Meyer, Christina Hengster (Austria)

2013 World Championship top 8: Humphries, Meyers, Kiriasis, Martini, Schneiderheinze, Kamphuis, Miriam Wagner (Germany), Fenlator

2010 Olympic medalists: Humphries, Helen Upperton (Canada), Erin Pac (USA; retired)

BIOS

Men

Maximilian Arndt (Germany): 2013 four-man world champion (w/Marko Huebenbecker, Alexander Roediger, Martin Putze). Also had two first and two seconds in the last five World Cup four-man races. Silver (four-man) and bronze (two-man) in 2012 worlds.

Cory Butner (USA): Two runner-up finishes on home ice in World Cup two-man races in 2012-13.

Nick Cunningham (USA): Third place on home ice in World Cup four-man race at Lake Placid 2012.

Thomas Florschütz (Germany): 2010 two-man bronze medalist and three-time World Championship two-man runner-up came on strong at the end of 2012-13, with one win and two runner-up finishes in last four two-man races. Also third in World Championship two-man (w/Andreas Bredau).

Francesco Friedrich (Germany): 2013 two-man world champion (w/Jannis Baecker). Reached podium in six of seven two-man World Cup races in 2012-13.

Steven Holcomb (USA): Great story, told in his book But Now I See: My Journey from Blindness to Olympic Gold. Won four-man world title in 2009, four-man Olympic gold in 2010 and BOTH world titles in 2012. In 2012-13: Ran well in the USA and not as well in Europe. Won first three two-man races and finished fourth on the season; finished sixth overall in four-man. The “Night Train” four-man sled (Steve Langton, Justin Olsen, Curt Tomasevicz) gets the publicity, but he’s formidable in two-man as well.

Beat Hefti (Switzerland): Not a big-band leader of the 1940s but a veteran with three Olympic bronze medals (2002 two-man, 2006 both races) and one world title (2007 four-man). Missed part of the 2012-13 World Cup season, then won three two-man and one four-man race. Also second in World Championship two-man (w/Thomas Lamparter).

John James Jackson (Britain): No finish higher than fifth in World Cup 2012-13, but he finished fifth overall in four-man. World Championship four-man? Also fifth. Also a longtime Royal Marine commando. Ruptured Achilles this summer but is already training again.

Alexander Kasjanov (Russia): Had a couple of World Cup four-man podium finishes in 2012-13. Fourth in 2011-12 World Cup four-man.

Manuel Machata (Germany): Huge year in 2010-11: Four-man World Cup champion, two-man World Cup runner-up, two-man and four-man world champion. 2011-12: Third in World Championship four-man. 2012-13: Third in each World Cup discipline. Missed out on Olympics. That’s how tough the German team is.

Oskars Melbardis (Latvia): Good career as push athlete; switched to driver for 2010-11 season and has a few World Cup podium finishes. Second in each discipline in 2012-13 World Cup.

Lyndon Rush (Canada): Two-man World Cup champion 2012-13, with two wins. 2010 bronze medalist in four-man. Second in two-man in 2012 worlds. Longtime two-man partner is former CFL football player Jesse Lumsden.

Alexander Zubkov (Russia): Dominant in four-man 2012-13, winning five of his eight World Cup races and missing the podium only once. World Championship four-man runner-up (with Alexey Negodaylo, Dmitry Trunenkov, Maxim Mokrousov). Not as strong in two-man, but he does have 2010 bronze and 2011 world title.

Women

Jazmine Fenlator (USA): Former brakewoman had two podiums in 2012-13.

Kaillie Humphries (Canada): 2010 gold medalist was overwhelming in 2012-13: Six wins, one second-place finish and two third-place finishes. Plus the World Championship, her second straight. Husband Dan is a push athlete (not on her sled, obviously).

Esme Kamphuis (Netherlands): Fifth in World Cup 2012-13. Sixth in 2010-11 (one podium).

Sandra Kiriasis (Germany): Olympic finishes: 2002 silver, 2006 gold, 2010 fourth. World champion in 2005, 2007 and 2008. In 2012-13: Two wins out of six podiums in nine World Cup races (second overall), third in World Championships.

Cathleen Martini (Germany): One win, three podiums (third overall) in World Cup 2012-13. World champion in 2011; World Cup champion in 2011-12. Fourth in last two World Championships. Crashed in 2010 Olympics.

Fabienne Meyer (Switzerland): Fourth (top non-German) in 2011-12 World Cup, with four podiums. In 2012-13: Seventh with one podium.

Elana Meyers (USA): 2012-13: Not consistent but had four World Cup podiums and runner-up finish in World Championships.

Anja Schneiderheinze (Germany): Sandra Kiriasis’ former brakewoman started World Cup driving career midway through 2010-11 World Cup with three straight runner-up finishes. Second in 2011-12 World Cup (two wins); fourth in 2012-13 World Cup. Fifth in 2013 World Championships.

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