It's a warm, foggy Saturday morning here in post-election New Hampshire.  Most of the political signs are put away, and gunshots now ring through the hillsides. Rebellion against the new socialist state?  Post-election right wing despair?  Nah.  Hunting season.  It's more personal this year than some, as the doe and two fawns that we've been watching [. Click to continue reading...

It's day two of what continues to feel like a new era.  Obama faces a plethora of daunting tasks, and we are on notice that for hope to burn bright, we need to roll up our sleeves and help.  That's the difference.  Obama's no white-haired GOP fake Father-Knows-Best, but a competent and inspiring leader who's [. Click to continue reading...

The penultimate part of our occasional series looking at the Presidents of FIFA throughout history.

The global game
In the early 1970's, Brazil were the true kings of world football. Crowned champions for a record third time and synonymous with the silky skills of players like Pele, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto, the Brazilians were the embodiment of everything that was good in the game. Click to continue reading...

It really wasn't a contest at Dodger Stadium last night ... and wasn't one at Hofstra, either. The Phillies clinched their sixth-ever World Series berth in just five games, with a 5-1 win over the Dodgers, behind good offensive production and the strong arm of NLCS MVP Cole Hamels!  I'd love to see them face the [. Click to continue reading...

 The Time Finder posted information about some great computer shortcuts this morning - along with a link to the NY Times article by David Pogue.  Who knew, for example, that you can use Google like a calculator?  And here's a cool tip that I found in the "Comments" - A little less known one I enjoy [. Click to continue reading...

I'm going to be migrating everything from my old computer to my new one in just a wee bit ... so am posting somewhat quickly now.  Hopefully you'll hear from me again. If not, you'll know that things went badly here ... A bailout agreement has apparently been reached. I read some excellent debate analysis [. Click to continue reading...

Demis Nikolaidis started his career with AEK as a player, and a brilliant player he was. He scored 125 times in 189 games, and was considered one of the greatest players Greece has ever produced. He excelled when he played with AEK, his favorite team since his child. After retiring, he helped, as president of AEK, [. Click to continue reading...

The sixth part of our occasional series looking at the Presidents of FIFA throughout history.

A divided party
The late-1950's were a revolutionary time in world soccer. The African Football Confederation (CAF) had been founded in 1957 to develop the game in that part of the world and the 1958 World Cup in Sweden had witnessed the first real wave of Brazilian dominance featuring the skills and showmanship of Vava, Garrincha and Pelé. Click to continue reading...

Sources in Columbus tell me that the Crew aren't about to ship their designated player spot anytime soon. Many feel that given the Crew's status as a small-market team, and the lack of obvious candidates to come in through that spot, they are looking to deal. But that isn't the case, and in fact it is [. Click to continue reading...

Three Presidents in six years
The legendary Jules Rimet retired as President of FIFA following the 1954 World Cup and in so doing left his successor with a tough act to follow. Here was a man who led the organisation for thirty-three years in which a World War forced him to hide the World Cup trophy under his bed to evade the gaze of enemy soldiers. Click to continue reading...

The war intervenes
The 1934 World Cup was hosted in Italy, only the second to be held and the first to be staged in Europe. Uruguay had won the inaugural event four years earlier in their own country but with only four nations from Europe bothering to make the long trip, Uruguay reacted strongly by boycotting the competition in 1934.

It added a sour note to Jules Rimet's ongoing reign as President of FIFA but this was compounded when the Italian government used the event to maximise its political influence under the leadership of Mussolini. Click to continue reading...

The man behind the trophy
March 1st 1921 was a momentous day for FIFA, although few would have known it at the time. This was the day that Jules Rimet officially succeeded the late Daniel Burley Woolfall to become the world governing body's third president since its creation in 1904. Under his guidance, FIFA entered its first great period of real change, but achieving success wouldn't be easy. Click to continue reading...

Continuing our look at the Presidents of FIFA from 1904 to the present day.

Part 2: An Englishman in charge
Under the leadership of Frenchman Robert Guerin, FIFA began life in 1904 as the world governing body of Football. Its raison d'être was to ensure that the game be played in a uniform way around the world in accordance with the standards it laid down. Click to continue reading...

This new series looks at the people who, over the past 103 years, have sat at the top of the tree in the world governing body of Football. This is the story of FIFA's Presidents from 1904 to the present day.

Part 1: In the beginning
Ever since the sport of Football began in earnest back in 1862 with the creation of the English Football Association, international competition was always uppermost in the minds of those countries that played the game. Click to continue reading...

This new series looks at the people who, over the past 103 years, have sat at the top of the tree in the world governing body of Football. This is the story of FIFA's Presidents from 1904 to the present day.

Part 1: In the beginning
Ever since the sport of Football began in earnest back in 1862 with the creation of the English Football Association, international competition was always uppermost in the minds of those countries that played the game. Click to continue reading...