Sports Notes - Kobe Bryant Busted - International Football Turmoil - May 2006

James Loving - National Radio Text Service - Thursday May 4, 2006 - Update Friday May 5, 2006

NBA's Rough Play Retaliation - England's Coaching Job Vacancy... IT'S OVER!!! - NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley's Gambling Connections - 2 Play Rooney Loony? - Dream NBA Playoff Match-ups - Ronaldinho Makes Deal - Serena In The Drop Zone - Cambodian Football Federation's Khek Voted Out of Job - FIFA Not Into Politics, Rebuild Palestine??? -- NR Top 10 - FIFA Top 10

NBA PLAYOFFS - LA LAKERS BRYANT BUSTED

We said last month that the NBA playoffs are when everything is on the line and that is the time when things get serious.

I in game five between the LA Lakers and Phoenix Suns that Phoenix won 114-97, things got serious.

Phoenix guard Raja Bell served up a little pay back for rough play to the Lakers Kobe Bryant when he placed a combination of a clothesline, neck lock, and throw down of the Lakers star.

Bell said it was payback from Bryant's fouling of him and the referees didn't call them. He noted that he thought that Bryant was arrogant and got away with too much.

Bryant said basically what's up with that and he didn't even know the kid.

"Do I know him," he exclaimed!

Bryant has to get it right. He's the kid being only 27-years-old while Bell tops the age chart at 29.

Bryant said he was used to rough play being from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA area where rough play is the name of the game.

Being from there I know he's right about that. When you play street ball you take your punishment. If you can't take it your are told to make it (off the court that is.) That is the survival of the fittest in any metropolitan city in the US.

Well… the NBA knows both of the players and for Bells reward he received a one game suspension from the NBA.

Translation: With the Suns down 3-2 in a seven game series that game could be Bell's last for this season.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE?

Should the Lakes win the series they would play their cross town rivals the LA Clippers who are having one of the best season in there history. Home court advantage would not be a factor since the Staples Center is the home court for both teams. This season won each have won two of the four games against each other.

Should this second round match-up occur as the American Idol TV show judge Randy Jackson would say it would be, "THE BOMB (the greatest)."

Ronaldinho Makes Deal... Full story

2 PLAY KEVIN ROONEY LOONY???

Kevin Rooney's injury is worse than first thought. Doctors interviewed say it will take longer than the hoped by England six week healing process. Six weeks is minimum and a full recovery could take months.

Question… is it worth a superstars career to play in THIS WORLD CUP? Won't he have more in his career? At his age won't there be two or three more in his future?

Should he recover and play without adversity he surely will be a Superman.

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that the Survivor Africa reality television show winner Ethan Zohn was a professional football player? Full story coming...

CAMBODIAN FOOTBALL VOTES OUT KHEK

Ravy Khek the person responsible for bringing International football back to Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge conflict was voted out of his position as president of the Cambodian Football Federation.

Insiders say FIFA doesn't approve of the procedure that led to his departure. Stay tuned…

FIFA SUPPORTS PALESTINE

FIFA and president Joseph Sep Blatter believe that football is important in bringing people together.

"FIFA’s role is not to reprimand, but to help create bonds and ensure that the young people of the region have hope and the possibility to enjoy the school of life that football represents. Therefore, I call on the relevant authorities to do everything they can to allow Palestinian and Israeli football to develop,” commented the FIFA President Seth Blatter.

With that in mind they are going to help rebuild the football stadium in Palestine. Full story…

WHAT'S UP WITH ENGLAND?

When you think about pressure jobs the position of being the next coach of the England national team seemed to be riding on the treatment by the press. Isn't that why the position was open?

Their search for a replacement for outgoing England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is…. Well wait a minute… former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and manager Yogi Berra said it so eloquently…"It ain't over till it's over."

Well as far as finding Eriksson's replacement… IT'S OVER.

After months of controversy and media speculation the English FA have decided on Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren.

Given the distractions and the media side show this issue has caused, selecting McClaren was a safe choice sine he is assisting Eriksson for this World Cup competition.

He claims that the media pressure won't bother him, "After five years working with Sven," he said.

BUT…LISTEN UP!!!

The ink is hardly dry on the contract and ESPN based in Singapore is already building him a coffin

They are requesting their viewers to SMS how long they think McClaren will last on the job while posting choices from one to four years. Hmmmmm…

Let us bow our heads and pray.....

Since they know each other there should be a smooth transition in adjusting between the players and coach, PLUS... most of all… HE SPEAKS ENGLISH AND IS ENGLISH (more on this later). IS EVERYBODY HAPPY???

As Martin Luther King once said, FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST, THANK GOD I'M FREE AT LAST."

Well we all can now get on to thinking about something else, like Wayne Rooney's recovery from his foot injury.

But before we go lets retrace this scenario and see what led up to this also questioned decision.

Portugal's national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari dropped out due to the stir caused by media after he was offered the position.

It was too much of a nuisance media reports claim he said.

Scolari had the credentials the English FA was looking for with his having coached Brazil to the World Cup title in 2002.

Since the controversy began to find a replacement for Eriksson numerous coaches have been mentioned including Bolton manager Sam Allardyce, McClaren, Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce and Everton boss David Moyes.

An ESPN analyst once suggested former Brazil and Real Madrid coach Wanderly Luxemburgo.

Bad choice since the Wanderly man is on record of having a problem communicating with people that speak the English language.

The England team does speak English don't they? Just wondered.

If England's focus was looking for a winner and being a foreigner wasn't an issue why didn't they approach NOW two time winning English Premiers League champion Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho?

Though he's a foreigner he has proven that he has no problem speaking to English speaking players and getting the best out of them. His track record speaks for itself.

Also… what about the man who probably has the best-known name in English football today who is a proven winner? What's his name? Sir Alex Ferguson ? Just wondered.

HEY YOGI… IT'S OVER!!!

NBA PLAYOFF DREAM MATCHUPS:

The playoffs are shaping up to some interesting probable NBA final match-ups. Here is mine what are yours?

1. Clippers vs. Cleveland: Two teams that shouldn't be there but if so it would be a competition of the never was (NBA finals before).

2. Cavaliers vs. Lakers: This would bring together tow of the NBA's best of all-time high school to NBA Players that are the leaders of their teams Bryant and LeBron James.

3. Lakers vs. Miami Heat: We all know about the Shaquille O'Neal Kobe Bryant, 'We can't get along,' conflict that led to O'Neal being traded. Of all the match-ups Miami vs. Lakers would probably be the top box office and most watched on TV draw.

CHARLES BARKLEY - GOES HIS FIGURES

Going through the link on SI.Com to read the story on Charles Barkley who was recently inducted to Basketball's Hall of Fame admitting to a gambling habit a banner ad to Poker Room TV.com jumped up.

The ad disappeared when the story downloaded.

Go figure. Barkley sure did. He figured he has lost US $10 million over the years. He says he likes it can afford it and will continue to do it. Gamble that is... it is doubtful that he wants to lose another $10 million.

1. JIM MURRAY 2. Kobe Bryant & NBA Trivia 3. Cambodia's Royal Palace 4. Zico Leads Japan To World Cup. Who is Zico? - 5. Grammy Music Awards Show 6. Teerathep Leads Thailand to SEA Games Title 7. Thailand Impressive against Premiere Club Sides and Real Madrid 8. Australia's Carins Brothers Rugby 9. DON KING, HBO Picture's... 10. SUPER BOWL - Jerome Bettis Steelers Dynasty -- Full Story NR Top 2

Rank/Team/Points

1. Brazil - 830

2. Czech Republic - 779

3. Netherlands - 774

4. USA - 760

5. Spain - 759

6. Mexico - 758

7. France - 754

8. Portugal - 753

9. Argentina - 753

10. England - 744

(FIFA)

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