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Los
Angeles, December 31, 2001 Dear Readers: Soccer's future ... Through his Anschutz Entertainment Group, reclusive billionaire Phil Anschutz is the West Coast's major sports power-broker this side of Microsoft's Paul Allen. Anschutz is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Kings and the part owner of both the Lakers and the Staples Center. He also underwrites much of Major League Soccer: he owns five of the 12 MLS teams (including the LA Galaxy), an investment estimated at well over the $100 million mark. In 2000, AEG announced plans to build a soccer stadium on the campus of Cal State Dominguez Hills, in Carson, for the Galaxy. Since then, the media has reported this as if it was a done deal. In October, Sports Illustrated wrote: "Crews are scheduled to break ground in mid-November on a 20,000-seat soccer stadium." In November, the New York Times reported that "A.E.G. is building a $100 million tennis and soccer training center." In December, Sports Business Journal wrote that the complex is "scheduled for completion in January 2003." And, as SportsLetter went to press, the Los Angeles Times reported that the stadium was "under construction." Add soccer ... Actually, construction has not begun because, first, AEG and Cal State Dominguez Hills must prevail in court. In a David-versus-Goliath lawsuit, a group known as Concerned Residents of Carson Committee is attempting to block AEG and the university from building the project, claiming (among other points) that "the project description does not comply with the California Environmental Quality Act ... the project's impact on biological resources was inadequately assessed and mitigated ... and the Environmental Impact Report's analysis of project impacts on traffic was inadequate." On January 7, 2002, California Superior Court Judge Dzintra Janavs will determine whether the project complies with the California Environmental Quality Act, and thus whether it can move forward. Add soccer ... Part of the Concerned Residents group's concern stems from the ever-changing nature of the plan, which has mushroomed from a soccer-only stadium for the Galaxy, with seating capacity of approximately 25,000, into a soccer-tennis-cycling-track-football complex complete with two stadia (the tennis stadium would seat 8,000, expandable to 13,000), six soccer fields, and 18 tennis courts; a new velodrome; a track-and-field venue; a "plaza support building" for offices; and more. Recent published reports in the Los Angeles Times state that AEG is mulling plans to use it as a training-camp facility for an NFL team. Last add soccer ... While U.S. soccer enthusiasts hope for a favorable ruling by Judge Janavs, they no longer have to wait for their own official chant, which debuted at the U.S.-Jamaica World Cup qualifier at Foxboro Stadium on October 7. Seattle fan Randall Bird (no relation to Larry) penned the winning entry, which goes (all together now): "Our Legs Shall Never Tire, Our Hearts Will See Us Through, Goals! Goals! Goals! For the Red White, and Blue." Said Bird (no relation to The Byrds): "It's simple, but memorable, and gets stuck in your head." Yeah, just like "Billy, Don't Be a Hero."
"Gentlemen, start your coffins" ... Jim Murray's famous line about the Indianapolis 500 resonates today amid reports that, since 1990, 267 deaths have occurred at U.S. auto races (including a whopping 40 in 2001). According to the Charlotte Observer, 210 of the dead were drivers, 29 were spectators, 25 were crew and support staff, and three were journalists. Add deaths ... The Observer noted that Lowe's Motor Speedway was the site of the most deaths, with seven (four drivers, three spectators), in part because it hosts "Sportsman" races for inexperienced drivers. Said track president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler: "We don't want to lose sight of a potential young Dale Earnhardt, a hungry, no-money driver who wants to win, win, win." Add Dale ... Earnhardt may have died in February, but his adoring fans can still catch his spirit by collecting the "Dale Earnhardt Holiday Ornament Collection." For $38.95, subscribers receive three ornaments every other month, including the "Ready to Ride" Santa in his #3 sleigh, complete with The Intimidator-style sunglasses. Batteries not included.
The Big Tent ... Tug-of-war has joined the IOC's list of officially recognized sports -- and all of the Netherlands rejoiced. At August's 6th World Games in Akita, Japan, the Dutch dominated competition, taking home two gold medals and a bronze. An Olympic event from 1900 to 1920, TOW's storied history includes controversy at the London Games. According to writer David Wallechinsky, in the first round of the 1908 competition, the Liverpool Police squad pulled the U.S. team over the line in mere seconds. The Americans protested, claiming that "the Liverpudlians had used special illegal boots with steel cleats, spikes, and heels ... The protest was disallowed, whereupon the Americans withdrew from the remainder of the competition." Add sports...The sport of futsal - or five-on-five soccer - is attempting to squeeze into the crowded Olympic program by claiming seasonal status. According to the Associated Press, both UEFA, the European governing body for soccer, and FIFA, the international governing body, have lobbied the IOC to include futsal in the Winter Games, using the argument that the game is played indoors. The IOC is expected to give this one the boot. Add sports ... USA Today columnist Tom Clark, meanwhile, argues that bowling's image would change if it was included in the Olympic Games. Writes Clark: "The best evidence it should be in the Games is the AMF Bowling World Cup in Pattaya, Thailand, featuring representatives of 92 countries ... The PBA and PWBA Tours are made up of athletes whose command of hand-eye coordination, skilled muscle-memory and technical sporting minds are enviable. The variables winners overcome each week during the season are as difficult as any in pro sports." We're guessing he means that converting the 7-10 split takes as much athletic skill as traversing the Super-G course. Inquiring minds want to know ... Where will Greece march during the Opening Ceremony of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games? According to the Olympic Charter, "The delegations parade in alphabetical order, according to the language of the host country, except for Greece, which leads the parade, and for the host country, which brings up the rear." We assume they will have it worked out between now and 2004.
Torched by the torch ... Americans in four states -- Minnesota, Hawaii, North and South Dakota --voiced protest that they were ignored by the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay en route to Salt Lake City. An examination of recent past U.S. Games reveals that despite the snubs, the 2002 effort was an exceptionally thorough one. For the 1996 Atlanta Games, the torch bypassed seven states. In 1984, the torch went through 33 states and the District of Columbia on its way to the Los Angeles Games. The 1980 Lake Placid torch never left the East, passing through Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
Man Utd update ... Jode Glover-Manguzi loves his favorite soccer team so much that he named his second son after manager Sir Alex Ferguson and 19 Manchester United players. Of his son, dubbed Alex Ferguson Barthez Silvestre Neville Johnsen Irwin Stam Brown May Beckham Keane Scholes Butt Veron Giggs Chadwick Cole Yorke Nistelrooy Solskjaer, Glover-Manguzi said: "He's my son and I can call him what I like. It's hard to explain. It's a passion." Said his wife Mandy: "People will probably say we're mad." You think?
Weighing in ... The critics have warmed to "Ali," starring Will Smith as former heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali. Then again, Hollywood loves a good fight film. According to the 2001 edition of Film Facts, since 1910 filmmakers have used the subject of boxing more than any other sport, with 204 films. Horse racing is second, at 139, with football third at 123. Boxing will add to the total next year, with the release of "Undisputed," starring Ving Rhames as a heavyweight champ who's sent to prison. In addition, director Spike Lee is working with Budd Schulberg and Bert Sugar on a script about Joe Louis and Max Schmeling.
Turf wars ... Don't say we didn't warn you: one of the hottest sports around is lawn-mower racing. In September, the United States Lawn Mower Racing Association held the 10th anniversary STA-BIL Nationals in Mendota, Illinois. The weekend, entitled "2001: A Lawn Odyssey," featured competition in stock (10 mph), IMOW (5 mph), Prepared (50 mph), Factory Experimental (60 mph), and Top-Grass Eliminator (75 mph). As the chief starter says, "Ready, Set, MOW!" Add turf ... What possesses someone to race a lawn mower? According to Bruce Kaufman, president of the USLMRA, "The answers can be found by chatting with racers who build machines with names such as Turfinator, Sodzilla, Lawn Ranger, Ace of Blades, Hedge Hog, Mowin' For Broke and Garden Gangster....[They're] not in it for the money -- these drivers of the world's fastest lawn mowers pull-start purely for pride and the glory of the lawn." Add turf ... Of course, you may want to use the lawn mower on your, you know, lawn. In which case, we point you to David Mellor's new book: Picture Perfect: Mowing Techniques for Lawns, Landscapes and Sports. Mellor is the director of grounds at Fenway Park and is renown for making his outfield grass look really cool. The book's publisher, Sleeping Bear Press, promises that "You'll be the envy of your neighbors, or your professional colleagues, as your turf will stand alone as a testament to your commitment to excellence and creativity. You'll learn the basic patterns - checkerboard, stripes, diamonds, waves, arches and circles - in simple step-by-step instructions, along with practical advice on equipment selection and use."
Department of Bad Timing ... In ESPN The Magazine's annual year-end edition, the editors nominate athletes for "Next" status - as in, they'll be "the next big thing." One of this year's nominees was the U.S. bobsled duo of Jen Davidson and Jean Racine, "the team to beat when women's bobsled makes its Olympic debut." The two broke up right before the Olympic Trials.
Just didn't do it ... Our quote of the year award goes to Nike chieftain Phil Knight. As reported on www.sportcal.com, Knight took responsibility for Nike's poor showing in 2001, during which time the sneaker giant's stock fell in value 15 percent, saying Nike "forgot to be competitive," in recent years. Whoops. Let's giddy-up into the New Year with FINO, the mascot for the 2002 World Equestrian Games.
Sincerely, SportsLetter staff.
SportsLetter
is published bimonthly. Reproduction is encouraged with credit to
the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles.
Copyright 2001, Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles. All
rights reserved. The
AAF Paul Ziffren Sports Resource Center E-mail:
Library
Staff: Wayne Wilson, Vice President , Research; Daniel Bell, Research
Director; Shirley Ito, Librarian; Michael Salmon, Librarian; Bonita
Carter, Library Assistant; Carmen Rivera, Copy Editor. SportsLetter Editorial Staff: F. Patrick Escobar, Managing Editor; Wayne Wilson, Editor; David Davis, Associate Editor.
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