July 11th update

Last Second Goal keeps USA alive in World Cup

• The US Women’s team defeated the Brazilian team 2-2 (5-3 in Penalty Kicks) in their quarterfinals matchup on Sunday in what's already being hailed as one of the most dramatic moments in the United States' international sports history.
• Two questionable calls by the referees led to two goals by Brazil. The US team was able to equalize in the 122nd minute, the latest goal in World Cup History.
• Up 1-0, the US team committed a penalty in front of their own goal leading to a penalty kick in the 66th of 90 minutes. After the first kick was knocked away in an great play by US Goalie Hope Solo (probably a top-5 name in sports), the refs called a penalty on the US for entering the penalty box prior to the kick. Given the second chance, Brazilian star Marta made good with it.
• After no more scoring in the remaining time or regulation, the game went into extra time. Marta broke through and scored 2 minutes into the Extra time, after a non-called offsides distracted the US defense.
• Then, with less than 2 minutes in stoppage play, magic happened. A beautiful crossing ball by Megan Rapinoe barely cleared the goalie and defense and left Abby Wambach able to head it into the back of the net. This last second goal brought back memories of last year’s last second goal by the US’ Landon Donovan in the Men’s World Cup.


Yao Ming Retires

• Yao Ming. the 7'6" Chinese phenom who played in the NBA since 2002, retired over the weekend. The Houston Rockets center was the first overall pick in 2002 and was instrumental in increasing the game's popularity in China, the world’s most popular nation.
• Ming’s career was undone by knees that would never heal totally, so he couldn’t reach his potential. Boston Globe sports writer Bob Ryan saw Ming play in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and thought that he could win multiple championships. But despite teaming up with former scoring champion Tracy McGrady for years, Ming was only able to get out of the first round of the playoffs once.
• Ming will go down as one of the most popular players in the game having been voted to the All-Star game 8 times, including times when he missed much of the season injured. He was elected on the backs of many Chinese fans voting for him. He will also join a long list of tall players who had a great deal of potential but were arguably too tall to stay healthy long enough to make a big impact.
• Now it's time to debate his overall impact to basketball. A poll on USAToday shows that 71% of respondents think Ming's legacy was either a great player who expanded the game or a good player robbed of greatness. 18% think he benefited from too much hype and only 12% think he's a Hall of Famer.

Altruistic fan returns Jeter's milestone ball

If you won the lottery, would you give the ticket to the person who you purchased it from? Well, that's essentially what 23 year old Christian Lopez did after catching Derek Jeter's 3000th hit ball, a home run on Saturday.
• In an interview Lopez explained his rationale: "He deserved this. He worked so hard for this. He’s been in the league for so long, I’m not really the kind to take something away from him. He earned it.”
• Memorabilia for milestone hits like this are known to sell for jussssst a bit more than pocket change. A game worn glove worn by Lou Gehrig once sold for $387'000. Not impressed? Barry Bonds record setting 756th home run ball sold for a staggering $752,467.20. But those are nothing compared to Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball from 1998 which sold for more than $3 million and inspired a book.
• Given that Jeter just built a $7.7 million mansion, signed a 3 year $51 million dollar contract earlier this year and has made millions more over his career in contracts and endorsements, (and has already been featured on a Sportico Wednesday spotlight!) I may have tried to get a little more out of Jeter. But maybe that's just because I'm not as selfless a person as Christian Lopez.