The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Kiwis incensed over England's black shirts
- US Beach players await word on Olympic qualifying
- Matteson, McNeill tied for Viking Classic lead
| Kiwis incensed over England's black shirts Posted: 15 Jul 2011 06:34 PM PDT WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key has described the England rugby team as "a bunch of wannabes" after it announced it would play at least one game in an all-black strip at the World Cup in New Zealand later this year. England's decision has incensed New Zealand rugby fans who see it as a deliberate attempt to mimic the all-black strip worn by its national teams since 1874. The New Zealand rugby team has been known as the All Blacks since 1905. England's Rugby Football Union said England will abandon its traditional white shirts for the Sept. 10 pool meeting with Argentina, adding that its New Zealand counterpart had confirmed it has no problem with the switch. But Key led a chorus of protests, saying "there's only one team that wears black with pride and that's the All Blacks." All Blacks captain Richie McCaw played down the England decision on Saturday, though many former players expressed disappointment at what they saw as an attack on a New Zealand tradition. World Cup-winning All Black Michael Jones described England's move as "psychological warfare." But McCaw said he was relatively unconcerned, even if it meant New Zealand might have to change from its all-black uniform if it plays England in the final. England plans to switch back to white for its remaining pool games but could break out the black again later in the tournament. The alternative shirt replaces the current gray jersey. "If it comes down to what color you wear determines how you play, then we've got trouble," he said. "That's the attitude we've got to have. What will be, will be. It would be nice to be in black, but if we're not, well, you just get on with it." Keith Quinn, New Zealand's longest-serving rugby commentator, said England was "thumbing their noses at a New Zealand tradition." "Of all the colors of the rainbow, why would they choose the color of the host nation?" he said. New Zealand rugby fans took to social networking sites to express their anger at the color change, warning the England team they face a hostile reception in New Zealand if they wear black. A Facebook group called "Get Our Gear Off" was quickly established and contained the warning "if they try and steal our gear, they will not be welcome in New Zealand." Group members posted photographs of the 1905 "Original" All Blacks, saying "these guys are turning in their graves." Other group members told England to revert to their traditional white jerseys and "take their flag back." The British Union Jack features on one corner of the New Zealand flag. New Zealand has been forced at previous World Cups to change its jerseys to avoid perceived color clashes with other teams. At the 2007 World Cup New Zealand lost a coin toss prior to its quarterfinal against France, was forced to change to a silver strip and went on to lose 20-18, its worst-ever World Cup performance. New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew moved to reassure fans, saying England had told him of the color change "as a courtesy" and assured him they would not force the All Blacks to wear white if the teams met at the World Cup. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| US Beach players await word on Olympic qualifying Posted: 15 Jul 2011 06:32 PM PDT NEW YORK: To get onto the sand in Athens and Beijing, where they won two Olympic beach volleyball gold medals without ever losing a set, Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor played in tournaments from Thailand to Switzerland, from Berlin to Brazil. Their path to the 2012 Games in London is turning out to be even more circuitous. A year and a fortnight before the opening ceremonies, American beach volleyball players are still waiting for the U.S. and international governing bodies to agree on a system to decide who goes to London. "It's really hard to swallow that it's not set in stone," Walsh said in a telephone interview this spring before she headed out for the international tour opener. "It's a huge problem, for sure. Having uncertainty for something that's so profoundly important adds a whole layer of stress right now and we don't need that." Beach volleyball made its Olympic debut in Atlanta in 1996, and the two-person American teams were chosen at a trials. For the three games since then, the athletes have been selected based on points they accumulated on the international tour. After Beijing, though, the International Volleyball Federation gave USA Volleyball the right to control its qualifying process for 2012. It was a change that top U.S. players had wanted when their domestic tour was running, because they wanted to enhance the AVP's stature. But when the AVP went bankrupt last summer, the trials became another flashpoint in a long-simmering feud between the players and a national governing body they say is disconnected from their needs. Now the top Americans — including May-Treanor, Walsh, and the men's winners in Beijing, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser — are pushing USA Volleyball to keep the international points system rather than use something untried so late in the four-year cycle. "There should be a system in place as soon as that last Olympics was over, or last year, so athletes don't have to worry about what they've been working for for so long," May-Treanor said. "I understand what they're trying to do with the Olympic trials. But if Plan A didn't work, which it didn't, why mess with something that hasn't been broken, that has given us a lot of success. ... In no other sport does that happen." May-Treanor and Walsh worried this spring that they were entering the traditional qualifying period without knowing how the process would work. Three months later, there is still no official word on how U.S. Olympians will be chosen. "More than anything, it's too late. We're too far down the road," said Casey Jennings, Walsh's husband and a pro who is also trying to qualify for London. "We've discussed with them that we would try to find out a new style of trials for 2016. It's not perfect right now, but it's a lot better than what they're trying." A USOC spokesman said the holdup is at the international governing body. A spokesman for the FIVB declined to comment, referring requests to the national governing body. A spokeswoman for USA Volleyball said this week they had nothing new to report, and the organization's beach managing director, Dave Williams, did not respond to requests for comment. Players who have been briefed on the proposals say one plan is to hold a trials in June. Numerous Olympic contenders — including all four gold medalists from Beijing — expressed doubts, questioning how participants would be picked and whether a team at the top of the international rankings would really be left home. "We don't even know what ball's going to be used," Walsh said. "There's a lot of question marks that make me not confident." Players also are concerned about being pressured to play in the AVP's successor tour, the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series, which has yet to hold an event. The tour has three tournaments scheduled this summer, with plans to expand to as many as seven in 2012; one proposal would require athletes to appear in at least two to be eligible for the trials. The players also worry that a trials could favor teams that haven't been tested against the top foreign competition they would be facing in London. "We want to win medals. Nobody's trying to be selfish on our end," Jennings said. "Our sport is designed to know how to play against other teams. ... My hope — and I pray at night — is that it will be the same way that it was for Beijing." Most disappointing, Walsh said, is that players are told to consider the games a four-year commitment, but their governing bodies, they say, are putting together a plan at the last minute. "You're setting yourself up so that when the qualifying starts you're in the best position possible," Walsh said. "For this to be happening in the fourth quarter is really unfortunate." For now, the top teams are spending all of their time on the international tour. Even if it doesn't help them qualify, it will prepare them for the competition they would face in London. That's what Walsh and May-Treanor did before Athens and Beijing, and it worked pretty well. "We want to qualify like we've always qualified," May-Treanor said. "We want to go out there and win every tournament." |
| Matteson, McNeill tied for Viking Classic lead Posted: 15 Jul 2011 06:30 PM PDT MADISON, Mississippi (AP) — For nearly four hours, Troy Matteson tried to think of ways to kill time in the clubhouse as thunderstorms rolled across Annandale Golf Club. He watched a little television. Swapped stories with other golfers. Counted the minutes as they slowly ticked off the clock. Turns out it was worth the wait. Matteson birdied his final three holes of the day after the lengthy delay, taking advantage of Annandale's forgiving fairways and greens to share the Viking Classic lead with George McNeill. Matteson finished his round but McNeill was on No. 18 when the final delay was called at about 6:30 p.m. local time due to lightning in the area. The day featured nearly six hours of delays as soaking thunderstorms rolled through central Mississippi on a steamy summer afternoon. PGA Tour officials said Annandale has received more than four inches of rain since Monday. That didn't stop Matteson. The 31-year-old with two Tour victories was 12 under after firing his second straight 6-under 66. "It's kind of weird — I usually don't play that well coming off a rain delay like that," Matteson said. "Somehow the greens are standing up to the rain. They're soft but they're very smooth. These are some of the best Bermuda greens we play all season and they've stayed very consistent with their speed." McNeill, a 35-year-old who has one PGA Tour win, was 7 under through 17 holes and will resume play Saturday on the 18th fairway. The start was delayed two hours after a heavy round of overnight thunderstorms dumped more than an inch of rain at Annandale. Play began just after 9 a.m., but another heavy round of storms hit the course at about 2 p.m., sending spectators scrambling and leaving puddles on the fairways. Play started again 5:40 p.m., but about an hour later more lightning sent the players to the clubhouse for good. The second round resumes at 7 a.m. Saturday. Tour officials still hope to finish the tournament Sunday. The Viking Classic was canceled in 2009 for the only time in its 45-year history after more than 20 inches of rain rendered the course unplayable. Scores were low for the second straight day. Players were allowed to lift, clean and place balls in the fairway and the soft greens made for prime scoring conditions. The projected cut is at 3 under and 107 players had a score of par of better. Matteson expects low scores to continue throughout the weekend. "It's perfect conditions for us," he said. "This is what guys putt best on. This is kind of a putting contest with everything being so soft right now. Obviously, that could change if things firm up a little, but I don't know if that's going to happen." Blake Adams had the day's best round with a 62, making nine birdies, one eagle and one bogey to spring from seven strokes back to just two behind McNeill and Matteson. Kevin Kisner and 51-year-old Tom Pernice Jr. were tied one shot off the lead. Tim Petrovic, Bobby Gates, Brendon de Jonge, Peter Lonard, Sunghoon Kang and John Mallinger started the second round in a tie for the lead after shooting an opening 65. Only Gates played his full second round Friday, shooting 3 under to fall two shots back. |
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