England

It was frustratingly reminiscent of election season. Within minutes of Carl Froch’s beatdown of good friend and ex-conqueror Mikkel Kessler, the producers at HBO correctly saw fit to include Andre Ward in the post-fight fracas. After all, Ward is the rightful top man at 168 pounds and—17 months ago in Atlantic City—he became just the second to defeat the frisky Brit in a decade-plus pro career. So getting the pair within shouting range of one another in the aftermath of a cracking good fight before 19,000 zealots in London’s O2 Arena was, in TV terms, a no-brainer. But rather than verbal fireworks between the one-time rivals, the to and fro between them was far heavier on subtle spin than steamy substance.Play-by-play man Jim Lampley lobbed non-combative softballs at Ward about Froch. Froch spoke a lot, but said little, in a brief ringside chat with Max Kellerman. And upon swinging back to Lampley and Ward, the show’s final stages faded to black—sans fireworks. Left unsaid amid the innocuous blather was exactly what everyone wanted to hear. What will it take to get Ward and Froch together in a super middleweight rematch? Based on the conclusions culled from Saturday’s posturing, the main issues are location, location and location.Though Ward was a one-sided—and many contend, dullish—winner in the initial go-round with Froch back in 2011, the events of the past few months months have conspired to make a return date the best matchup available in a weight class the two have since seized by the throat.Froch returned within five months of the Ward loss with a TKO of unbeaten Lucian Bute and whipped an overmatched Yusaf Mack in three rounds before downing Kessler on Saturday. Ward, meanwhile, used a belt-seeking Chad Dawson for a virtuoso encore in his first post-Froch fight nine months later, sapping the 175-pound kingpin’s spirit on the way to a 10th-round TKO in California. He’s been on the shelf since that night with a shoulder injury, lending to the perception that Froch has significantly closed the gap. So much so, in fact, that Team Froch boldly claims Ward needs to take to the road to truly legitimize his street cred. He’s bad, they concede, but he ain’t worldwide. “I always said I’d like to fight Andre Ward again. It’s a fight out there that I know I can win,” Froch said to HBO’s Kellerman. “If I do get him in England, I will beat him. Let’s do it here. Let’s get it right.” Ward, for his sake, didn’t veto the idea…but he didn’t exactly leap at it either. “At this stage of my career, I’m open to any fight that makes sense,” he said to HBO’s Lampley. “I don’t know if that’s in the U.S. or the U.K. (Froch’s people) need to show me how bad he wants it here. They need to show me why it makes sense for me to come here.” For his own sake, it’s an option he ought to take very, very seriously. Though he’s got an Olympic pedigree and a spotless record, Ward barely registers beyond a blip with casual boxing fans, as evidenced by pedestrian domestic interest in the first Froch fight (6,000 tickets) and the subsequent Dawson fight (8,500 tickets)—both of which were on premium cable.By contrast, Froch—in spite of losing 24 of 36 rounds on the three Ward scorecards—is a proven top-shelf attraction in his native land and warranted enough stateside interest from HBO to send crews across an ocean to get a seat at his hometown circus. Lampley claimed the din created by the London mass was more penetrating than a Sergio Martinez-inspired Argentine gathering more than twice its size a month ago. And in a debate between factions struggling to hear themselves talk, that volume—and the cash it stands to generate in Europe—should register with everyone.That money will still be there for the red-hot Froch i

Football Match just over at Gillette Stadium – Major League Soccer Home Team – New England Rev.   Goals & Scorers – 90′: Juan Agudelo;23′: Diego Fagundez;  Keeper – Bobby Shuttleworth  Midfield – Lee Nguyen; Juan Agudelo; Scott Caldwell; Diego Fagundez; Juan Carlos Toja;  Forwards – Jerry Bengtson;  Defense – Jose Goncalves; Chris Tierney; Andrew [...]

New England Revolution ( 2 – 0 ) Toronto FC , United States of America on The 26th of May, 2013 at twenty five to three Podcast:

The starting grid of Sunday's Indianapolis 500 features two rookies to the race—Carlos Muñoz and A.J. Allmendinger—among the top six, in addition to a man with the always-threatening surname Andretti. Despite the looming threat of those three young guns, the most dangerous men in the field may just be the seasoned, grizzled vets.Four past champions of the Indy 500 sit among the starting field: Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti and Buddy Lazier. Between them (well, just Castroneves and Franchitti), they've won three of the past five races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Here's a look at which ones, in order, seem most poised to repeat that crown this weekend:4. Buddy LazierLazier's return to the track is a great story, one worth conferring about in the hours leading up to the race. But once the green flag flies, Buddy will return to the state his career has embodied since 2009:Irrelevant.That's the last year the 1996 champ tried to qualify at Indianapolis, but against a stiff field of younger, faster drivers, he found himself unsuccessful.Buddy shocked the world this month by announcing his intention to race in this 500, and further amplified that shock by actually qualifying. But he still finds himself on the dreaded back line, and isn't enough in form to compensate for that start.He has five career top-five finishes at Indy, but once the rubber hits the road, CVs become irrelevant—only MPHs and RPMs seem to matter.Don't bank on the old guard stirring things up.3. Scott DixonDixon was named New Zealand's Sportsman of the Year in 2008, riding the momentum of his Indy 500 win to a prestigious national distinction. But in the grand, global scheme of motor sports, he's never been able to maintain that relevance.Which isn't to say Dixon's been bad. In the years since his triumph at Indy, he's managed to win a few races every year, and often finds himself among the top-three Championship finishers. He'll start on the inside of the sixth row come start time, exactly five rows behind where he started in his 2008 victory (the pole). That doesn't bode well for his chances of securing win No. 2.2. Dario Franchitti The perfectly coiffed 40-year-old from England is no stranger to winning from the sixth row—he did so just one year ago at Indy, albeit from the inside (where Scott Dixon will be racing from) instead of the middle.His other two wins at the 500 came from the first row, but his success from the middle last year might presage things to come in 2013.He hasn't shown the same regular season form as he has in the past—his age, perhaps, finally starting to take a toll after an illustrious career—but Super Dario always shows his best form at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Never count him out in Indianapolis.1. Helio CastronevesThe only former champ starting above the sixth row, Castroneves will race from the middle of row three—a much more auspicious spot than his fellow veterans.He's also, much like Dario Franchitti, accustomed to winning this race from all over the starting grid. His only win of the past 10 years came from the pole, but his two previous wins—2001 and 2002, respectively—both came from relatively the same position as this year. (The former was from the middle of the fourth row; the latter from the inside of row five).He knows this track better than anybody in the field and that, combined with his better starting position and form so far this week, makes him a prohibitive favorite over the other past winners.

22:00 New York Red Bulls v Columbus Crew at Red Bull Arena20:30 Sporting Kansas City v Houston Dynamo at Sporting Park2:00 Colorado Rapids v CD Chivas USA at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park2:00 Real Salt Lake v Chicago Fire at Rio Tinto Stadium1:30 FC Dallas v San Jose Earthquakes at FC Dallas Stadium0:30 New England Rev. [...]

'Dennis the Menace' are 2 independently developed and published in the exact same day! What are the odds that two comics come out on the same day with the exact same name in two different countries? I'm no mathematician so I'm not going to try and calculate them, but I will say they are pretty slim. That is exactly what happened on March 12, 1951 in the US and England. In America, Hank Ketcham released his Dennis the Menace comic strip. It is still around today. In England, issue No. 452 of "The Beano" comic strip came out and introduced a character named Dennis the Menace. The character went on to become cartoonist David Law's most famous character. Neither author knew about the other's plans beforehand. The characters do not look that much alike but both have a tendency for mischief. No lawsuits were filed and the characters kept their names. In 1993, a movie version of the American Dennis the Menace came out, and when it was marketed in Britain, it was just called "Dennis" to avoid any copyright infringement. (Source)

When will Rory McIlroy reemerge from Tiger Woods’ shadow? The headline seems to indicate it’s not a matter of if, but when, Rory McIlroy will reemerge from the considerable shadow cast by Tiger Woods. Coming off a spectacular 2012 season in which he won his second major championship and was the No. 1 player in the world, who could have foreseen McIlroy not only being unable to extend his lead in the Official World Golf Rankings, but actually falling behind Woods on top of golf’s race for No. 1. Mark me down as a guy who a) isn’t sure McIlroy will be able to reemerge from that shadow and b) if he somehow can, that’s going to be a process that might take a year or more to accomplish. Why? For starters, the numbers are not in McIlroy’s favor.This week’s OWGR shows Woods with a 3.30 point average, and that’s considerable.McIlroy is going to need to start winning and/or contending to chop away at that lead. Problem No. 1.McIlroy has done neither of those things in what has been a lackluster first six months of the 2013 season for him.Yes, he has four top-10 finishes in his first eight starts, but he was never really in contention coming down the stretch in any of those.He was always on the periphery of contention, never a big participant in it. By contrast, Woods already has four wins this year and is playing at a level at which he could win seven, eight, even nine times before the year is done.If he continues to win, not only will McIlroy not be able to make any inroads into that deficit, he’ll fall farther behind. Even worse for McIlroy is the fact Woods seems to be on the upswing and seems to be getting more and more comfortable and confident with the latest version of his swing.That’s trouble not only for McIlroy, but for the rest of the PGA Tour as well. McIlroy obviously did not enjoy his time, nor did he flourish as the No. 1 player in the world.As others have found out, being the best in the world by whatever measurement gets to be a difficult place with all of the pressure and expectations that accompany the honor. Because McIlroy couldn’t handle the pressure of being King of the Hill, that doesn’t make him a bad guy or a bad player.He seemingly is the prototype of the kind of young man every mother would be proud to call her son. Phil Mickelson was never No. 1 in the world, and his career has not suffered as a result. But if McIlroy intends to make a serious run at Woods and that top spot, he’s going to need to find some way to get tougher between the ears.Sure, there are still holes in his game that can be traced to his switch to Nike gear. That will take time, which he doesn’t have if he’s going to press Woods. His putting has not been good this year and, of course, that’s one of the most mental aspects of the game.McIlroy is 94th in strokes gained putting. He’s top 10 in driving distance and greens in regulation, but in crunch time, he just hasn’t executed the way he did a year ago. McIlroy talked about the state of his game earlier this week before he missed the cut at the of the BMW PGA Championship in England, via Philip Reid of The Irish Times:“I’m really excited and positive where my game is at, it’s just a matter of holing a few more putts and, if I can do that, and keep giving myself chances to win tournaments, hopefully I’ll walk through that door and get the first win of the season.” Wishing and hoping is one thing, but McIlroy has to make it happen, and to this point, he hasn't. The player who dominated golf in 2012 has not shown up in 2013. And for the game itself, that’s too bad.There was much anticipation of a spirited duel between McIlroy and Woods this year, as the 24-year-old Irishman appeared to be the best chance for a rival to Woods in a long time.McIlroy’s cool start in conjunction with Woods red-hot explosion from the gate quickly dampened that antici

Jaden Smith and dad, Will Smith, attended a special presentation by a group of young adults in the Mayor’s Leadership Club with Mayor Boris Johnson at City Hall in London, England on May 24th. During the visit the 14-year-old star performed an impromptu rap for the crowd at the achievement celebration. The Hollywood duo visited London as part of their circuit across the globe to promote their new film, “After Earth.” In the film, Jaden’s character Kitai gets a chance to prove that he has what it takes to be a soldier after he and his father (Will Smith) crash land on earth after traveling from their home planet of Nova Prime. Jaden and Will also made a trip to BBC 1 Studio on their rotation in London. In between work Jaden made time for some fun. The teen actor/rapper hung out with actress/singer Selena Gomez at Hakkasan while in London. “After Earth” hits theaters nationwide on June 7th. Check out photos of Jaden while in London below.

England legend David Beckham has officially retired after playing his final game for PSG. read more

Earlier today Pro Wrestling:EVE was at the Rushcliffe Arena in Nottingham, England for the 2013 “Queen of the Ring” tournament, with eight stars vying for the chance to be crowned “Queen of the Ring” and earn a future shot at the EVE Championship. In addition, the championship itself was also defended, as Nikki Storm retained her title in controversial fashion, lamping her opponent Rhia O’Reilly with the title belt directly in view of the referee and getting herself disqualified. The pair had pulled out all the stops, in a tense and aggressive match abundant with conflict, both verbal and physical. The finish occurred when the referee was inadvertently knocked out by O’Reilly, who brought the belt into the ring, sensing an opportunity to capitalise on the situation. However, despite her having Storm down for the three count, the ailing referee had failed to see the pin, and Storm then took  it upon herself to end the match early and on her terms, meaning the championship remains firmly around her waist. The tournament, which was unique in not featuring a single English wrestler, was won by “Portugal’s Perfect Athlete” Shanna, who saw her way through three great matches to earn her crown. Her first round match was against rising Canadian star Leah Von Dutch, pinning her with a sit-out implant buster. The  first round was also notable  in featuring the Owens twins, Kasey and Leah, going one-on-one against each other for the first time in EVE. In a close-fought match, Kasey eventually got the better of her sister, rolling her up with an inside cradle to advance to the next round. Meanwhile, veteran Joshi wrestler Emi Sakura sealed her spot in the semi-final, defeating The Glamour Gym’s Carmel Jacob in a fine match, and Kay Lee Ray pulled off a huge victory against Alpha Female, rolling into the ring before the ten-count following a hard tumble to the outside and counting Alpha out. However, after the match a bitter and jealous Carmel Jacob ran to the ring and beat Ray down, leaving her status in the tournament up in the air. The first semi-final was a somewhat one-sided affair, as Emi Sakura made relatively quick work of a valiant Kasey Owens, who took flurry after flurry of stiff strikes and stinging chops, and although she was more than able to dish a beating out herself when the rare chance arose, Sakura’s experience paid off in the end, landing a beautiful corkscrew moonsault for the three-count. Her opponent in the final was arguably decided before the second semi-final had even begun, as although Kay Lee Ray showed a remarkable display of guts, refusing to back down and holding her own against Shanna despite her previous assault at the hands of Jacob, the on-form Shanna was relentless, picking up the win once again with her sit-out implant buster. The final was a plum tie in every sense, with both wrestlers putting on a clinic of athleticism, technique and grace in the ring, matching each other move-for-move. In the end, a brutal doublestomp from Shanna while Sakura was in the tree of woe was all that separated the two, and Shanna was proudly crowned EVE’s 2013 Queen of the Ring. Following the match, Nikki Storm came out to address the new number one contender to her title, before making a hasty exit, whetting our appetites for what might happen next. See below for the full results: “Queen of the Ring” Tournament – First Round Matches: * Emi Sakura def. Carmel Jacob. * Kasey Owens def. Leah Owens. * Shanna def. Leah Von Dutch. * Kay Lee Ray defeated Alpha Female by countout. “Queen of the Ring” Tournament – Semi-Finals: * Emi Sakura defeated Kasey Owens. * Shanna defeated Kay Lee Ray. Pro Wrestling: EVE Championship: Rhia O’Reilly defeated Nikki Storm by disqualification – Nikki Storm retains the championship. “Queen of the Ring” Tournament – Final: Shanna defeated Emi Sakura.