Topic: Soccer

The Soccer Pal is not your friend. Wrapping your feet in rubber is not an improvement over tying one's shoelaces properly. And so on: journey, if you dare, into the wonderful world of useless soccer training products.

However much authority the José Mourinho that walked into the press conference on that warm July day in 2004 could mobilize, the one that walked out was one of rare, maybe unsurpassed authority who had literally seduced most of the press pack. Thereafter, The Special One would have his Anglophone audience largely eating out of his hand for the remainder of his three-and-a-bit years in charge at Chelsea.

On the occasion of Mario Balotelli's devouring of himself, a few thoughts on fame—what it is, how it distorts, and how it can hurt, obscure and confound—seem to be in order.  

The Jurgen Klinsmann Administration did not get off to a great start with the U.S. U-23 team bombing in the Olympic qualifiers. But given the man in charge of the program—and the considerable talent at his disposal—it seems safe to say that we haven't seen the last, or the best, of this team.