Paul George's Injury Is Not Pretty (UPDATED)

((HT: ESPN/USA Basketball))

It's very serious and just reminds us of the Joe Theismann injury...

It's difficult to see in real time, but if you think your stomach can take it in slower speed- it's about a minute after the incident happens in real time...


Coach K stopped the scrimmage after the injury out of respect- a wise move...

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo was asked about the injury after the game was called:

"This is a tough blow, not only for USA basketball but for the Indiana Pacers," he said. "And so as an organization we're just going to let a little time go by here before we address rosters ... it seems so unimportant in scheme of things. When you have something like this, it puts things in perspective."

Colangelo is right. It's a tough blow for the Pacers- bordering catastrophic for the upcoming season...

More when we know more...

PM UPDATE: ESPN's Brian Windhorst is making a good point about the stanchion under the left (as the TV camera shows it) basket and how it appears closer to the court than in a normal NBA contest.

The picture on his Twitter account makes a good argument.

"The Boys In The Boat" Resonates At U-Dub

((HT: KING5-TV))

Full disclosure

The HQ has the Daniel James Brown book to the right of the computer monitor at our desk at work.

It tells the story of nine guys of various backgrounds- farmer, logger, ship builder, etc.- that got together at the University of Washington and ended up winning gold in Berlin in 1936.

It's a cool story that almost never got told...

Here's Eric Wilkinson

The HQ also recommends picking it up and visiting the U-Dub campus if you have the chance.

Wondo Back On The Mainland, Still Apologizing

((HT: CSN Bay Area))

And he is still apologizing for what went down against Belgium

Remember, San Jose Earthquakes striker Chris Wondolowski took to Twitter and apologized for his miss that could have sent the USMNT to the quarters to play Argentina.

I'm gutted to have let down everyone but especially my teammates. It's been an incredible ride but I know this will make me stronger.

Thank you to all the great fans that has supported this wonderful team. This is a special group made up of great teammates

Now, that he's back here in the States to get the Quakes out of the bottom of the Western Conference standings in MLS, Wondo is thinking that what went down will only make him stronger as a player.


The HQ wasn't all that cool with people turning him into a verb, but we hope he is right.
And he doesn't need to apologize for anything, but it is our way...

Eric Wynalda Does Not Like How US Soccer Was Set Up, Either...

((HT: Dan Patrick Show/Audience Network/NBCSN))

Landon Donovan was asked about what he thought when it came to Team USA's efforts in Brazil. He admitted that he thought the team wasn't set up to succeed.

The HQ would agree noticing that there was no substitute for Jozy Altidore up front (No Johnson or some such striker) and the team, offensively, seem to rope-a-dope their way through the Germany and Belgium matches waiting for a transitional opportunity to score.

Eric Wynalda appeared on the "Dan Patrick Show" and was not pleased either- bringing up points that we hadn't even considered- and even dropped an s-bomb early in the interview since he was so apoplectic about it.

It was noticed by Dan, who gave him a warning...


So there... we hadn't even thought about the whole "Michael Bradley-being out of position" thing, but we did notice that he was not around offensively as much as the entire country would have liked...

Here's All Of Tim Howard's Activity Vs. Belgium

((HT: bubbaprog's COUB))

The HQ thinks that Team USA keeper Tim Howard should not have to buy another drink in this country for the rest of his natural born life and should IMMEDIATELY be given the Congressional Medal of Honor

Here's all of his saves put back-to-back and Ian Darke gets to yell a lot, too...


The HQ blames Piers Morgan for the loss

Before it Begins: USA Soccer Hype Video Gets Everyone Excited for Game

Okay, call us suckers for a well produced video. After all, it's what we do for a living.

And yes, though many in the southern U.S still don't comprehend soccer on it's highest level, they have no idea what they are missing.

Before--or while watching Team USA play Belgium in the World Cup Tuesday afternoon, check out this "Hype Video" to get you pumped for the occasion.

Great stuff:

Group of Death Recap: USMNT Can Thank Ronaldo Later (Plus Free Swinging In Ghana)

((HT: ESPN/FIFA))

As it turns out, the Germany 4-0 blowout of Portugal was the decider that sent Germany and the United States on and sent Portugal and the Ghanaians home.

This is one of those times that a 1-0 loss is a win as the US moves on to play, probably, Holland


And here's how Ronaldo put the Portuguese in front of Ghana for good...


But, the incident that will make everyone remember that particular match comes from something worse than a cup-check
((HT: Jack Conness' Vine))

And Then John Brooks Went And Broke Twitter As USMNT Wins

((HT: FIFA/gsports2's Vine))

Ayew scored off a brilliant pass from Gyan to tie the game at ones, but in the 87th minute, John Brooks (the second of three Klinsmann subs) scored on the corner entry from Graham Zusi (the last Klinsmann sub)

And reacted thusly...


Lesson here: Do not question Jurgen Klinsmann and his substutions EVER AGAIN!!!

Team USA beat Ghana 2-1 in their opening rounder...

Next up a Portugal-less Pepe over the weekend...

International Friendly Sunday Gives Some Answers

And yields more questions...

Will the guys at Team USA figure out their issues at the back...? They have another two weeks to figure it out...
The friendly in New Jersey against Turkey gave both teams a lot of offensive chances and the game could have been a lot more than the 2-1 final in favor of the stars and bars.

But Team USA showed some of the brilliance people expect...
((HT: ESPN))


And in the Belgium friendly with Sweden started with this shot from Romelu Lukaku
((HT: Footy Goals))


Looks like some folks are figuring it out...

So, Which USMNT Team Do We Believe In...???

((HT: ESPN))

The one where Michael Bradley showed what he does is world-class and Chris Wondolowski is back being an offensive force or the one that had the gaping hole directly in front of Nick Rimando for Rafa Marquez...???

The USMNT was up 2-0 at the break in Glendale last night, but gave up two in the second half to only leave the friendly with Mexico with a 2-2 draw.

Here's the highlights...

Clever... and jingoistically unfunny...

What's The 411 On Canada's Lack Of Offense...???

((HT: Sportsnet))

It showed in the barrage against Latvian goalie Kristers Gudlevskis- who stopped 53 of 55 shots against Team Canada...

And the HQ has seen, like the rest of the world, that the Canadian defense has more points in the Sochi tournament than the front lines... and THAT is the cause of concern as they head into the semi-finals against Team USA

Tim and Sid discuss...
Steve Yzerman chose wisely when he drafted him for the Lightning's depth in the position...

Ice Dancing Results Spark Controversy... World Shocked...

((HT: Sportsnet))

Charlie and Meryl beat Tessa and Scott...

Scoreboard... and all that...

But there are those, mostly north of the border, who feel THE DANCE VOTING WAS RIGGED!!!

Wait...what...???

Judging rigged...???

Tin and Sid discuss...

Understand something...

Davis and White's scoring difference actually increased from short program to long program...
If Virtue and Moir were supposed to repeat, then why didn't the scores end up closer from one program to the other...???

Do we need to discuss the whole Sale-Pelletier situation where the world REALLY agree about Canadians getting jobbed...???

Just asking...

TJ Oshie...Again...

((HT: CrossingBroad.com))

The folks over at Crossing Broad got it right...

A mash-up with Herb Brooks (well, Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks) and the shootout from the Russia game...

TJ Oshie, Again-- CrossingBroad.com from Kyle Scott on Vimeo.

That's all, gentlemen...

Hard To Win When It's 8 on 5

((HT: Sportsnet))

That is the jingoistic part of the HQ speaking here...

With a ref crew that didn't call two previous penalties for "too many men" and getting in the way for the breakaway goal, the larger issue today in the Team Canada-Team USA game in Sochi was the goal that made it 2-1.

Sure, it was a goal for Hayley Wickenheiser putting her on top in the history of the event for goal scoring over Cammi Granato. But the dynamic is the issue- the puck was lost under USA goalie Jessie Vetter, a whistle sounded, the puck went in to the net...

In that order...

The play was reviewed and the blindness by all the officials- on ice and off- screwed it up for Team USA in an eventual 3-2 loss.

The new approach for the medal distribution is different than most sports- qualifiers were put in the semifinals already. And both of these teams are in the final four of the event. So, now the stars and stripes have to play a tough Finnish squad in another bracket entirely to, hopefully, get a rematch against the Canadians for the gold...

Here's analysis of Round One...

So, Now's The Time For Revenge In Ice Hockey With USA and Canada

((HT: Sportsnet))

For the sake of remembering, here's the end of the Vancouver tournament...
((HT: OBS/IOC))


So, now with all the wild cards hanging around in multiple nations, the focus on this side of the world is on a gold-medal rematch between the two... leaving the home team out of it...

Here's Dan Bylsma discussing...
And on the women's side, the HQ thinks that it will be a rematch between the Teams USA and Canada- but we know that, when the two hook up tomorrow- a lot of us will be thinking about what happened in Grand Forks a month ago... ((HT: NBCSN))
The HQ admits that we're not a fan of the accelerated seeding process since we think it takes the fun out of the round-robin...

But, as supporters of Megan Bozek, we're ready to go...

Something Of A Hockey Preview

((HT: Sportsnet))

There is an amazing amount of pressure put on the home team to win a gold medal...

And the Russians will have an interesting chemistry issue to deal with. The KHL players on the squad all practiced together before the NHL players even arrived in Sochi, so there is almost two factions at play here...

The Kovalchuk/KHL faction and the Ovechkin/NHL faction and how they will interact will be an interesting subplot to the whole thing...

There are four teams (maybe five, if you include the Czechs) that will be fighting for the medal stand- USA, Canada, the Russians, and the Swedes...

The HQ believes in defense first when putting these squads together, so goaltending will keep teams in the medal race long before any other aspect of togetherness...

Thus, we look at Lundqvist and Miller over Fleury...

Hockey Central discusses...

Doesn't Look Like There's A Plan B For Hockey In Sochi

((HT: Sportsnet))

Okay, so we now have the answer that some probably didn't want to hear...

If it goes sideways in Sochi, Team USA goalie Mike Smith might have had it right by not adding any family to his travel itinerary for the Games. The US government has said that there will be ships, planes, and helicopters at the ready for evacuations...

The only vision the HQ has, really, is the last images of the fall of Saigon where people were rescued from the embassy roof.

We hope we're wrong...

But the Hockey Central guys- Millard, Kypreos, and Maclean asked Bill Daly about a Plan B...
Which, apparently, doesn't exist...

An Interesting Thought... Will NHL Players Pull Out Of Sochi...???

((HT: Sportsnet))

We all know what's happening over in Sochi...

And we all know what the US government has planned in case something gets past the Russian security service...

Phoenix Coyotes goalie Mike Smith has already said that he's keeping his family at home because of the security concerns, but what is the NHL thinking about it...???

Jeff Marek moderates the question...