Harold Riddle's blog

Pia Sundhage Sings to Her Players Ahead of Women's World Cup Final

Ahead of the much anticipated Women's World Cup Final between the USA and Japan, USA coach Pia Sundhage has given an insight into what goes on at an average team training session.

During her press conference before the final, she sang to reporters after talking about how the girls in the team feel the pressure and excitement building up to a World Cup final. The lyrics were taken from a Simon & Garfunkel tune and certainly won over the reporters at the conference.

The Japanese defeated Sweden in their path to the final (3-1), playing some spectacular football along the way. Although not physically strong, the Japanese are technically gifted and enjoy holding possession of the ball, whilst developing flowing moves which can break down the best of defences.

The squad also contains the current joint top scorer of the Women's World Cup, Homare Sawa; she will be hungry for goals, in her attempt to become the outright Golden Shoe award. All in all, Japan have conceded four goals for the duration of the tournament, although they did lose a game in the group stages to England.

Coming into the competition as favourites, the United States have had an exhilarating path to the finals. On the way, they overcame a loss in the group stage (vs Sweden), a two-goal deficit and ultimately penalty shout out against Brazil and finally a French side which fought to the death in the semifinal. Nevertheless, the girls from America have reached the final and look to win the World Cup for the first time since 1999.

The Japanese are playing in their first ever World Cup final, whilst the US will be making their third appearance.

Elsewhere, the playoff for third place in the tournament has taken place.

The all European clash contested between Sweden and France, saw Sweden come out on top in emphatic fashion. The game was locked at one all after goals from Schelin (Sweden) and Thomis (France) either side of the half.

Although with just eight minutes remaining on the clock, Swedish defender Marie Hammarstrom popped up to score the winner. The game ended 2-1, resulting in Sweden's third, third place at the tournament.

Make sure you take a look at the video of coach Pia Sundhage singing to her players.

Zhang Ziyi Nikki Reed Natasha Bedingfield Audrina Patridge Simone Mütherthies

2011-12 Chicago Blackhawks: Corey Crawford, the Next Vezina Trophy Recipient?

In the National Hockey League, the Vezina Trophy is awarded every year to the goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position."

Many great goalies in NHL history have been able to say they are recipients of this prestigious award.

Past legends like Terry Sawchuck, Jacques Plante and of course, Tony Esposito; modern legends such as Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy. All these great men can lay claim to the Vezina Trophy.

This upcoming season, Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford has a legitimate chance to join that elite club of Vezina winners.

Drafted in 2003 with the 52nd overall pick in the NHL Draft, Crawford had toiled in both the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League(QMJHL) and the American Hockey League(AHL) from 2003 to 2010, receiving only brief call-ups to the Blackhawks in between.

At the start of the 2010-2011 NHL season, Chicago was faced with the departure of Stanley Cup stalwart Antti Niemi to the San Jose Sharks, and fellow netminder Cristobal Huet being loaned out to hockey club HC Fribourg-Gotteron SA of the Swiss National League A as a means relieve the Blackhawks' salary cap issues.

Both moves were made with money in mind, however, both left us destitute in the goaltending department.

The Blackhawks signed free agent Marty Turco to a one-year contract in August of 2010. He was signed to replace Niemi as the team's starting goaltender.

It was also at this time that they promoted Crawford to be the backup goalie, thus giving him the opportunity he had long been waiting for.

Crawford began the season behind Turco, but that lasted only so long.

In 29 games of action, Turco put forth a sub-par effort, posting an11-11-3 record, with a 3.02 Goals Against Average (GAA). It was time for change.

Corey Crawford was then named the team's starting goaltender.

For the rest of the season, he never looked back.

Crawford was on a total mission, displaying skills not seen in Chicago since the days of an Ed Belfour in his prime.

During one of the better periods of his warpath, he compiled a 176:09 shutout streak from Jan. 7-15, the longest by a Blackhawks netminder since Tony Esposito from Jan. 16 to 30, 1972, this was a significant moment, but it certainly wasn't the last great thing he would do this past season.

Crawford established career highs in almost every statistical category in his first full season, in addition, his dominance allowed him to compile a 33-18-6 record in 57 appearances, with 55 of those being games started. 

Crawford posted 33 wins, the most seen in Chicago since 2001 and equal to a total that has not been exceeded since 1993-94 by Belfour.

I could continue to rant and rave about each of the statistics Crawford did absolute work in, but this article isn't about pure statistics.

It is an article to promote the rise of one of the premier young netminders in the NHL.

Crawford led the team into the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, and was a primary reason why we were able to take the number one seeded Vancouver Canucks to seven games before being eliminated in the first round. 

He is a goaltender with excellent vision, great hands, and a drive to be the best, and he will do nothing but continue to prove it.

Those qualities netted him the spot of goaltender on the 2011 NHL All-Rookie team.

He will earn a far greater honor in 2011-2012, he will be a Vezina Trophy winner.

I'm calling that now, and I'm absolutely not afraid to say it.

Blackhawks fans, be proud, because "Crawf" is exactly what we want in a goaltender—a goaltender who will soon once again take us back to the glory of a Stanley Cup championship. 

Sarah Shahi Anna Paquin Diane Kruger Magdalena Wróbel Connie Nielsen

Manchester United: 5 Reasons They're Going to Struggle in England in 2011-12

Manchester United will be looking for their unprecedented 20th English league title but they will have to get over some road blocks in order to achieve that goal.

They are well on their way to getting their legs back following a win over the New England Revolution of the MLS, 4-1.

It will be easier said than done as they have to get over retirements, new additions and most of all, their key opponents, who seem to get better every year, Chelsea and Man City.  That will be discussed in the upcoming slides so without further ado, here are five reasons Manchester United may struggle in 2011-12.

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Jessica Cauffiel Emmanuelle Vaugier Sarah Silverman Larissa Meek Gina Carano

NFL Lockout: Why Fans Should Applaud Players and Owners If Deal Is Completed

I know what you're thinking: why should we praise individuals arguing over $9 billion?

Here's why.

Recent reports have the NFL and players coming close to a deal, the most telling signs being that they have agreed to stop negotiating face-to-face again.

While that was bad news before, now it could signal they simply will iron the rest of the details of the collective bargaining agreement out via email, phone, teleconference, or any of the social media outlets provided these days.

And while the fact that they've been debating about how to split a $9 billion pot has understandably sickened many NFL fans (and people in general), it's important to note that this is not unlike any other compromise between employee and employer.

The players (i.e. the employees) felt they deserved more money (i.e. a raise), while the owners (i.e. the employers) contended economic circumstances dictated they couldn't grant that request.

Sure, it took them over 120 days to begin to sort things out, but if a deal is completed soon and the CBA is restructured, that means the NFL season will still go through with every preseason game.

That should be considered a win at this point.

Just look at the NBA lockout. There are reports that lockout could compromise the entire season.

As much as fans booed commissioner Roger Goodell at the 2011 NFL Draft, as much as it's sickening to hear millionaires whining with billionaires and as disgraceful as a lockout in professional sports is, the fact of the matter is the players and the owners appear to be getting it done and salvaging a season.

Two sides came together and dutifully worked hard to iron out some issues which created great gaps between them.

When all signs pointed to at least a shortened season, both sides appear to be overcoming the odds.

That deserves credit, if not applause.

Emma Stone Raquel Alessi Marisa Coughlan Shanna Moakler Portia de Rossi

Vin Diesel Making Another Vin Diesel Movie

Rozonda Thomas Rachel Weisz Miranda Kerr Sarah Shahi Anna Paquin

2011 British Open Leaderboard: Could Have Unbelievable Chubby Slam at Sandwich

C'mon baby, let's do the twist.

- Chubby Checker (1960)

It's happening again. The British Open leaderboard is aligned for another groundhog day. The Irishman at the top, Darren Clarke, would, with a win, propel his agent to the forefront of golf's super agents.

Fifty years ago, a man named Chubby revolutionized a dance move. The country was swept into a tornado-like frenzy of song and dance. Chubby's notes and motion trended up the music charts to No. 1 in 1960 and again in 1961.  

But, like the screeching of the needle on a vinyl record, move on over, for there is a new Chubby making hits.

What was the common denominator in last year's British Open and this year's first two majors—the Masters and the U.S. Open?

Your Google time's up: Chubby—Andrew "Chubby" Chandler.  

He's the agent for each champion (Louis Oosthuizen, British Open; Charl Schwartzel, Masters; Rory Mcllroy, U.S. Open).

And if Tiger had his way with the Tiger Slam, then the Chubby Slam is alive and well. Darren Clarke winning the British Open would send Chandler to the bank with some dance moves of his own. The PGA Championship has, so far, eluded Chandler, but there is always next month.

It's too early to call, but consider if one of Chandler's clients were to win both the British and PGA—we'd have to call it the GRAND CHUBBY SLAM.

Tiger Woods tried to redirect the headlines on Monday as his longtime agent, Mark Steinberg, joined Excel. That kind of announcement is a dimple on a golf ball as players look to close out the 2011 Open.

Chandler's exclusive group of professional golfers is twisting up leaderboards, and their agent is butter—I mean he's Chubby—and he's on a red-hot roll.

But, after further review, it's not the same man that was behind the 1960s hit—that was Chubby Checker. Time to slow the music to a waltz.

Chandler started his International Sports Management Limited (ISM) agency in 1989. It was designed to mimic the sounds Mark McCormack was making with IMG, located in the rock-and-roll region of the United States known as Cleveland.  

Chandler was quick to find talent.  

Clarke was one of his first, and he later built an association with South African Ernie Els. This association ultimately helped him land Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.  

And if it were not for his pursuit of Northern Ireland's wunderkind Rory Mcllroy in 2010, he would have already completed the Chubby Slam—because Graeme McDowell was the player that got away, just prior to his win at the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Don't think this was easy for the stout agent who also represents first-class cricket players. He had to put his Footjoys to the test at Augusta, moving down the fairway with blazing speed in exultation over his new-found champion, Mcllroy, until....the screech of another needle on vinyl.

The leaderboard frenzy sent Chandler on a mind-bending, expedition-like back nine in Augusta. 

Chandler was forced to make decisions on his involvement with his prized pupils. He showed Checker-like dance moves in greeting Schwartzel behind the 18th green, and consoled Mcllroy as he finished a disastrous back nine.  

Chandler was born a short golf cart ride from Royal Birkdale in 1953. He was seven when he first heard the American hit "The Twist." He parlayed his athletic talents into a career on the European Golf Tour.

Not a particularly noteworthy player, he then turned to representing the up-and-coming talent. He retired from the Tour in 1989 to start his management group.

Call it the Chubby Slam Sandwich: four major champions, lettuce, cheese, pickles and a sip from the Claret Jug.

 

Chubby Chandler clients:

2010 British Open Champion - Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa

2011 Masters Champion - Charl Schwartzel, South Africa

2011 U.S. Open Champion - Rory Mcllroy, Northern Ireland

?  Darren Clarke, Northern Ireland

Hilarie Burton Kelly Carlson Sara Foster Natassia Malthe Victoria Silvstedt

'Game Of Thrones' And Peter Dinklage Earn Emmy Nominations

In the end, Tyrion Lannister might win gold. Emmy gold, that is. If you've caught any of our "Game of Thrones" coverage by now, then you know we're a bit hopelessly obsessed reasonably enamored with HBO's new fantasy series. In fact, working this week with "A Dance With Dragons," the latest installment in George R.R. [...]

Brittany Lee Daisy Fuentes Asia Argento Charisma Carpenter Hilarie Burton

Liverpool FC: 3 Reasons Why I'm Really Looking Forward to Next Season

Last season was for Liverpool what a bad plane journey is for passengers: turbulent, uncomfortable and nerve racking, with a touch of relief when it comes to an end.

However, Liverpool seem to have regained control of what was a disaster, and against all odds have emerged in great shape. New signings have strengthened the squad, and our managerial situation is resolved. 

So then, there are many reasons for the average Liverpool fan to be happy, and this list will show you in detail why I am expectant for the coming campaign.

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Yvonne Strzechowski Rhona Mitra Kelly Rowland Danica Patrick Josie Maran

'Degrassi' Season 11 Preview: Secrets, Tragedies & Graduation

Filed under: TV News, Celebrity Interviews, Canadian TV, Made in Canada

The newly Emmy-nominated classic Canadian series 'Degrassi' is returning for an eleventh season (can you believe it?!) -- again, as it was last year, in telenovela style. Are you ready for seven straight drama-packed weeks of teen angst, heartbreaking sorrow and adolescent hormones? Cuz that's what's coming.

Season 11 of 'Degrassi' introduces three new characters, and takes on issues like gang violence, drug abuse, bullying, gender identity, sexuality and teen parenthood. As the school year draws to a close and the senior class prepares to graduate and move on, everyone realizes they'll only be in high school once so it's now or never -- so expect the sparks to fly.

 

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Kylie Bax Diora Baird Laura Prepon Ashley Scott Michelle Behennah

Last Shot - Chariots of Fur

Filed under: Photos, Last Shot

Thanks for the caption, Jamie! Honorable mention to Adam - your caption was hilarious too!

• photo via:// *_* / Guilhem Vellut

Big news, Urlbots! We've officially handed all our Last Shot headline duties off to you. Every afternoon M-F, we'll post the Last Shot on our Facebook page and from there it's up to you guys to come up with the best headlines you can think of. We'll feature our favorite on the homepage every day at 6pm ET.

 

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Shakara Ledard Vanessa Marcil Rachel McAdams Kristin Cavallari Brittany Murphy