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      Dangerous human stampede erupts before World Cup friendly

      June 6, 2010 /

      15 people were injured in South Africa before a World Cup warmup between Nigeria and North Korea when thousands stormed the gates of the stadium. One police officer was seriously hurt in the process.

      From NBC Sports:

      Several fans fell under the rush of people, many wearing Nigeria jerseys. The Makhulong Stadium in the Johannesburg suburb seats about 12,000 fans.

      The mayhem happened only five days before the start of the World Cup, the first to be held in Africa.

      “At this moment we have 14 civilians that were slightly injured in the process, one policeman seriously injured,” police spokesman Lt. Col. Eugene Opperman said outside the stadium. The injured were being treated at a hospital, he said.

      Opperman said tickets for the game were given out for free outside the stadium.

      Following the fiasco, FIFA stated is was not involved whatsoever in the organization of the match.

      Bottom line: These uncontrolled stampedes need to stop. Just last year 22 people died in the Ivory Coast while rushing to catch a World Cup qualifier.

      External Sports, Soccer

      Thibodeau hire a sign that LeBron is coming to Chicago?

      June 6, 2010 /

      Adrian Wojnarowski thinks there may be a connection…

      World Wide Wes has been telling everyone that he believes LeBron James(notes) is leaning hard toward signing with the Chicago Bulls. No one can be certain if basketball’s most famous middleman has been whispering honest insights to friends or amping the anxiety of Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert. Just know this: It wasn’t until Tom Thibodeau – who swore he never again wanted an agent – signed with William Wesley’s CAA that the Chicago Bulls grew serious about the coach’s candidacy.

      Something pushed Bulls officials to get on a plane, fly to Los Angeles on the eve of the NBA Finals and meet with the Boston Celtics assistant coach. Within 48 hours, the Bulls had a deal for Thibodeau to become their head coach. For several weeks, the Bulls had chances to interview him. They never did. Just a year ago, Thibodeau couldn’t get offers from the Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia Sixers and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Celtics see him as a career assistant and wouldn’t even consider him as a candidate to replace Doc Rivers.

      Only now, Tom Thibodeau has a three-year contract to coach the Chicago Bulls.

      William Wesley is a known confidant of LeBron and if he’s running around telling people that LeBron is headed to Chicago and Thibodeau signed with his agency just before being hired by the Bulls, there could be something here.

      Wojnarowski also discusses the Heat’s situation as well as what happened to Danny Ferry in Cleveland. It’s a good read.

      Another interesting bit came from an unnamed front office exec:

      As one front-office executive with a franchise that has significant salary-cap space this summer said, “I think all the big free-agent deals will be done by July 1, if not the draft. The NBA would have a cow if [it] knew what’s going on now.”

      If this is true, it makes LeBron’s planned free agency tour all the more ridiculous.

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Nadal wins French Open, regains world No. 1

      June 6, 2010 /

      Rafael Nadal has just captured his fifth French Open title, defeating Robin Soderling in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. In edging Soderling, the quirky Swede who surprisingly ousted the Spaniard last year in Paris, Nadal also seizes the world No. 1 from Roger Federer.

      The match ends a marvelous run for Nadal at this year’s French Open, where he didn’t drop a single set the entire tournament — the second time he’s done so at Roland Garros. Although Soderling posed a significant challenge considering their history, Nadal’s dominance on clay, particularly at this event, was on display from the start.

      Next up: Wimbledon. What Roland Garros is to Nadal, the All England Lawn and Croquet Club is to Federer. Curiously, Nadal is not optimistic about his chances at the event. Today, in a post-match interview with John McEnroe, Nadal told Mac the next he would him see would be the U.S. Open. Hopefully Nadal is just being coy.

      External Sports, Tennis

      Seven Packers questioned in sexual assault investigation

      June 6, 2010 /

      The Green Bay Press Gazette reports that six Packers players were questioned in an alleged sexual assault case in Lake Delton. While all six (Clay Matthews, Matt Flynn, Brad Jones, Khalil Jones, Josh Sitton and Korey Hall) were cleared of any wrongdoing, an unnamed seventh player remains under investigation.

      Police responded to Canyon Road in Lake Delton around 4:20 a.m. Saturday to a report that two women were sexually assaulted, Grimsled said. The assault reportedly occurred between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. at a rental condominium at 1050 Canyon Road at the Wilderness Resort Golf Cabins.

      Seven players staying at the condo were questioned, and all cooperated, according to police. They were all released, but police are still investigating whether one player was involved in both assaults. The six others are not suspected of criminal activity, Grimsled said. They are Matt Flynn, Khalil Jones, Josh Sitton, Korey Hall, Brad Jones and Clay Matthews.

      The women initially indicated more than one player was involved, according to police. After further interviews, the six men were allowed to leave. The seventh was further interviewed before being released, but his involvement remains under investigation.

      The players were reportedly in Lake Delton for a golf tournament hosted by Matthews. No other details are currently available, so it’s best not to jump to conclusions without any hard facts being made public yet.

      That said, if the unnamed player is eventually charged with sexual assault, how stupid does he have to be to get nabbed for that with everything that Ben Roethlisberger has gone through over the past couple of months? Again, let’s not jump to any conclusions. Nobody knows what actually happened at this hotel and for all we know, these women are looking for money and/or attention.

      Still, this is troubling news to say the least and not just for the Packers, but for the NFL as well.

      Update: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that cornerback Brandon Underwood is the unnamed Packer that is under investigation for sexual assault.

      “(The) seventh did have contact with the two females,” Grimsled said. “We were pretty sure of that. Everybody was cooperative.

      “It comes down to ‘was it consensual sex?’ One side says yes, the other says no.”

      When apprised that the investigation centered on Underwood, 23, several players who wished to remain anonymous said he had been a problem since he was drafted in the sixth round in 2009 out of Cincinnati. Cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt talked last season about Underwood being immature early in his rookie season.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

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