Check It Out

The Rundown

Farewell To An Extraordinary Man...

OK...going to keep it short 'cause there's a lot going on!

• The USA is swimming in deep water!  Germany, Portugal and Ghana stand stoutly between the Nats and a berth in the round of 16.  The geeks at ESPN offer this assessment of the USA's chances (39% chance of advancing)...but they're cowards who hide behind their slide rules.  Klinnsmann will select the guys who actually know something about the game, and the real components that factor into a winning team.  (remember, the nerds who compile these stats have never played in anything resembling a World Cup!)
• RIP Madiba.  FIFA offers this remembrance.  On behalf of my family, my South African brother-in-law and my two nieces who will be raised as dual citizens...Mandela did many great things, but he also did small things, like make my sister's happiness possible.  Here's hoping we see more leaders of his ilk around the world.
• MLS Cup Final is Saturday (4pm EST, ESPN); stats preview here from whoscored.com, the MLS preview here.
• The NCAA championships conclude this weekend for the women's teams; see the bracket here.  Watch the games via ESPNU or the WatchESPN app/website.  UVA, Florida State, UCLA and Virginia Tech face off starting tonight at 5pm.
• Men's NCAA tournament rolls on this weekend as well.  Click here for the bracket; click on a given matchup to find a web-based video feed to watch.  Michigan State/Notre Dame and Maryland/Cal are both offering video - the other two matches may need a little more investigation.  The Terps v. Cal matchup is the one people have been praying for this year!
• For those who are planning on watching the men's final four next weekend at PPL park, some nice notes from the Union media gurus here.
• Premier League matches this weekend here...Jozy plays Spurs (did you know Gareth Bale and Clint Dempsey accounted for 40% of Tottenham's goals last year?) and both US goalkeepers, Guzan and Howard play Sunday.  Arsenal v. Everton is probably the game I'm looking forward to most...
• Keep track of all (most) of the Americans playing overseas - and who are all hoping for a call-up from Klinnsmann for June! - here, here, here, here, and here.  Pretty interesting reading, and usually some good video of players playing well!
• Here's a good story on Christie Mewis, former BC standout, current pro and USWNT player.  I coached against here at Colgate, and she is the real deal. 

PHEW...Have fun!