Posted by curson
on May 20, 2007
Luna Rossa is the first finalist of the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup!
It took only 6 matches to beat Oracle, and victory couldn’t have been sweeter against the US team (ok I confess, I do not exactly like them very much). Now we only have to wait for the designation of our challenger in the finals. Right now Team New Zealand is leading 4 against 2 with Desafio Espanol 2007… so who’s next? ;)
A shame I won’t be able to watch the rest of the semi-final matches as the rest of the Cup ’cause I will be busy moving to London and starting a new job!
Well, this is life, isn’t it?
Posted by curson
on February 24, 2007
This is a match.
This is sport.
This is having fun playing with a ball.
This is how every other sports should look like.
A great (and storic) victory, superb performance of fair play, good playing, loyalty and devotion to an amazing and incredible sport. Thank you Italy and honor to Scotland for giving me a wonderful Saturday afternoon. *yay*
Posted by curson
on July 30, 2006
I’m sure all of you remember well the last video production of the swedish metal band Hammerfall. I blogged about it some times ago, pointing out how fun was the idea (even if clearly sponsorized by a contact lense brand… but hey, I use them almost every day too :p) of making a metal music video with sport stars of your own country. Last time was with the Swedish Women Curling Team (supporting them just before the Olympic Game), this time is with four athletes.
I must confess I recognized only the adorabole Kajsa Bergqvist, probably the greatest woman high-jumper actually in activity.
Any advice helpful in identifying the other three (I suppose swedish) athletes will be gladly accepted: when speaking about the Swedish Athletics Team I am able only to identify Kajsa and Carolina Kluft, both for obvious reasons :p
Anyway, thank to Pelle who wrote me an email about the new video, and enjoy it:
The host where both the files are is quite fast this time, so I’m not going to host them on my domain for now, if needed, I will.
And now, let’s convert the video for Asriel the iPod ;)
Posted by curson
on July 10, 2006
ITALY won the world cup! I was to young to enjoy the 1982 victory, but I’m not going to forget this one easily. What a night in Milan… I still can’t believe it!
Thank you Italy :)
*yay*
Posted by curson
on March 09, 2006
As originally posted by Mosnews here, the Sport Minister of Japan (Mr. Kenji Kosaka), happens to be apologizing for some of his consideration after the Olympic gold medal of Japanese female figure-skater Shizuka Arakawa.
Japan’s sports minister has been forced to apologize for a public gaffe after saying he was very happy to see Russian figure skating star Irina Slutskaya fall at the Turin Winter Olympics, AFP reported.
[...]
“We should not be pleased with others’ misfortune, but I was happy when (Slutskaya) fell. I felt terribly happy, thinking ’This is it!’†Kosaka said, freezing Arakawa’s smile.
So… 1, 2, 3 laugh!
Come on isn’t this a completely normal reaction?
He’s japanese, she’s japanes, she needed Slutskaya to do some mistake to win, and when she did (*sigh*) they were both happy. Would have been just polite not to confess this happiness in public.
The real problem here is that he is a Minister, and in particular the Minister of Sport, and being that he should give a clean and fair image of him even when he stops to be a Minister and become a supporter.
I must admit, I am always a little happy when someone who could beat my favourites do something wrong, I know it’s not fair and outside the Cubertain’s spirit but we’re all human after all, and sometimes is also nice to win more than just participate.
Anyway, I’m glad Mr. Kenji Kosaka decided to give his apologies to the whole sport world, but I feel that in his inner self, he is still a little happy for Slutskaya’s fall :p
And I am not going to blame him for that, that’s sure!
(source: RUBLog)
Posted by curson
on February 22, 2006
That has definitely been a great hockey match. Russia is growing stronger as the Olympic tournament proceeds and looking at how it played agains Canada, I now trust more for future possibilities. Of course Finland is not going to be a weak opponent, but today Russia played an almost perfect match against a very very stubborn team.
OVECHKIN Alexander, just 19 years old, has played a flawless game tonight, really impressive to see him on ice. As for me, MVP of the game without any doubts.
Here in Italy I don’t have many opportunities to see hockey matches (indeed, I have none, thanks to the amazing italia televisions…) and I was looking forward to see some playing during this Olympic Games: I’ve surely been satistfied!
*yay* I love sport! :)
Posted by curson
on February 18, 2006
Oh yeah!
Italian Curling male team stepped into curling history today, managing to beat Team Canada 7-6 after 11 Ends.
A country with only 500 curling players (Italy) had defeated the World Champion team from a country counting almost 3 millions players. Outstanding!
Was a great victory against a very stubborn and definitely more powerful team. A great and loyal battle, but was worth it!
WELL DONE ITALY! :)
Posted by curson
on February 17, 2006
In preparation for the Olymic Games in February, we joined forces with one of Sweden’s brightest hopes for a gold medal: The Women’s Curling Team. They won both the World and the European Championship in 2005, and are now looking to make it a triple with an Olympic victory as well.
(source: hammerfall.net)
Looking around the net, and thanks to Tao, I found the new Hammerfall’s video “Hearts on Fire” recorded with the Swedish Women Curling Team. Let’s say, I’ve not followed Hammerfall around for quite a while (I only have their first two albums: “Glory to the Brave” and “Legacy of Kings“) but they were one of my favourite band of my hard metal period. Not that this period has ever been seriously over yet… but my tastes have evolved in years.
Anyway, I couldn’t resist posting the link to download the video, believe me is very funny and nice… a great idea after all. So go here and watch it. It’s worth it, trust you curson this time.
(If you’re able to read/write Swedish, you can also understand where to leave a Thank you for the one who put the file on-line.)
Posted by curson
on February 16, 2006
It’s not easy for me to being emotionally moved by something I see, but this is not completly true when it comes to sport.
Maybe it’s because of that little envy I experience whenever I watch someone (more and more often as old as me… or even younger) doing something particulary great or perfect or maybe because of that inner self I have (even if I try not to show it very often) that is still moved by this kind of amazing gestures just like a baby, I’ve to admit Evgeni Plushenko (Евгений Плющенко) almost made me cry.
Watching him skating like he did tonight in Torino is something I’m glad I have been able to see, and something I will not forget very soon.
That’s the real meaning of the word sport as I intend it.
At its very best, indeed.
Today has been a great sporty day, with another emotional moment for Italy’s second Gold Medal (bravi ragazzi!!!).
Almost everything is perfect for this Olympic game… if only we could have a good Television service here in Italy to watch this games seriously, without tons of commercial spot and other average-common-stupid-italian-junk!
But, hey, we’re in Italy: it’s like looking for the water in the middle of the Sahara!
Posted by curson
on February 06, 2006
Oh yeah! They did it!
I don’t care if it wasn’t a very well played game, or if it wasn’t the best NFL match of the season (and for sure, it wasn’t! :D), in the end Steelers are World Champion and that’s all that matters!
A great team, with great players for a great evening, they deserved it!
It was incredible to see Jerome Bettis playing and winning his first&only SuperBowl (he’s 99% going to be retired this season…) in Detroit, his birthing city. I’m happy for the MVP Hines Ward who played a great match, and who gifted us (with Randle El, Antwaan) with the best play ever in the whole playoff!
GREAT!
I am very happy for the Steelers, for all of their fans, and for the city of Pittsburgh. Let’s just hope the next year I would be able to celebrate my 49ers‘ victory in SuperBowl XLI.
What are you saying? I’m a dreamer… ehheh, sure I am! :)
Posted by curson
on January 23, 2006
And here we are again, after the Divisional Championship games of Sunday.
I’ve seen them both (though I didn’t see Panthers-Seahawks until the end), so let’s write down the usual recap.
- AFC: Steelers - Broncos (34 - 17)
An amazing match, let me tell you. I’ve seen the Steelers through all the post season games, and I’ve never seen them playing in such a perfect way. They simply didn’t do anything they shouldn’t do. The game was straight to perfection, starting from the usual Bus no.36 Bettis, to QB Roethlisberger, Polamalu, Ward or Porter. Name one, and you’ll find out they have played a fantastic match.
Denver tried to stay in the game, but you can’t let this Steelers to take such an advantage in the first half, and thinking you can recover it later. They started to play good football too late. Steelers were in complete control of the game from the first to the last minute, and this’s the mind you should have if you want to go to the SuperBowl. Again… Go Steelers Go!
- NFC: Carolina - Seattle (14 - 34)
I’m not new to saying such a thing, but damn, you can’t win a football match (even more if it is a divisional championship) when your QB lanches 3 intercepts and complete less than half of his total launching score. Maybe I’m not an expert, but this’s what I think. Then, taken a Jake Delhomme in one of his worts game ever, put it side-by-side with the injury of N. Goings and there you see the Panthers are going to have a bad day. On the other side, Hasselback did a great job keeping is mind focused on the game: offence did a great job (come on, Shaun Alexander is a beast… 132yd and 2 TD after only 1 week from the injury against Washington, incredible!) while defence was perfect blocking S. Smith. And when even the great Smith is able to score only by returning a punt, you’re in big trouble Panthers. It’s going to be nice to see Alexander agains the Steelers‘ defence.
This playoff games didn’t start so well, I mean, the first matches wasn’t much of an excitment, but after the wild card everything changes, and that’s good for us supporter and football lovers. I think we’re going to see a great match in Detroit on the 5th of February, my heart will be supporting the Steelers with all its strenght, but I also feel some sympathy for Seattle, so just let it be a great match, and I won’t be too much disappointed ;)
“Detroit claims back its BUS no.36″
Posted by curson
on January 16, 2006
Playoffs matches came to an end this week-end with the last four games.
I’ve been unable to see live all the four matches, but I’ve seen all the recap of the saturday’s ones. What to say…
- Washington - Seattle (10-20): defence is something very important in football, but you can’t win without a serious attack team. And let me tell you, for what I saw (even against Tampa Bay) the Redskins right don’t have one right now. Let’s hope Seattle didn’t lost Alexander for more than a week… I think we’re going to see a great NFC Championship against the Panthers.
- New England - Denver (13-27): the second game I haven’t seen live on TV. From what my friends said to me, New Englad played a great match, even losing it mostly because of two major referee’s errors. Indeed, I can’t say I’m unhappy about the Patriots going home, and I think everyone able to beat them (even when they’re in one bad day) is worth a lot of respect: fear theBroncos!
- Pittsburgh - Indianapolis (21-18): OH MY GOD! This was the craziest match I’ve ever seen in NFL! Incredible. I think the Steelers went really “so” close to trash this match by themselves after ending the first half on 14-3, but please tell me I’m not the only one thinking that that Polamalu dive was a clean intercept. I still can’t understand why on earth the referee called an incomplete… crazy crazy crazy, the last 2 minutes were incredible. GO STEELERS GO!!!
- Carolina - Chicago (29-21): playing a post-season game like that one, with a QB that played only 1 game as a starter in the season, is not a safe good starting point. I think Grossman did his best, but was rarely into the game. The Panthers controlled the game from the beginning to the end, and I really think that Smith is going to be a realy pain also for the Seahawks‘ defence next week. A shame for the Bears, but I’m really happy for Carolina!
Was a positive week-end after all, 4 on 4 teams of my favourites went ahead to the Championships, and I’m very pleased with that. But to all the Steelers fan out there, let’s hope there will be less to suffer next sunday than there was this one! :)
