There have been varying opinions on David Beckham over the years but one thing you can say about him is that he sure made the most out of his talent.
A hard worker and great professional, Beckham was more than a supermodel and a brand. He was actually a pretty good player who managed to play for three of the biggest clubs in the world: Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan.
And now, finally, at the age of 38, his playing journey is over.
On the whole, you have to say Beckham was a legit soccer star though clearly not big enough to in the future be part of “best player ever” debates.
While being captain of England was problematic in that he often did not deserve to be among the starting eleven, Beckham could rise to the occasion and give his teams a chance to win.
England fans will recall fondly how his > free-kick goal vs Greece qualified his nation for the 2002 World Cup.
Beckham wasn’t able to win anything with England but on the club level won with the biggest teams and of late with the Los Angeles Galaxy and Paris St. Germain.
This has to strike fear into the hearts of those lining up against the young Grenadian Kirani James in this weekend’s inaugural 2013 Diamond League 400m. James happens to be the best 400m runner in the world these days (he won Olympic gold in London), and here he effortlessly powers away from the field over the last 70m to win the Chris Brown Invitational in the Bahamas a month ago.
James’ winning time of 44.72 is the fastest in the world this year and should set him up for another great summer season.
When you see Russian pole vault ace Yelena Isinbaeva at meets, she looks tall. But put her next to Olympic 400m gold medal winner Kirani James (l), and she doesn’t seem so statuesque.
Diamond League track kicks off in Shanghai this weekend.
Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators is the embodiment of today’s fast, creative, puck-moving defenceman. 2011-12′s winner of the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenceman is – like Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, Scott Niedermayer or rival Kris Letang – a player who controls his team’s attack from the back and is more dangerous than most forwards in the other team’s end. Karlsson’s speed and passing are key to the Senators’ success; before his 2013 season was cut short by an Achilles tendon injury, he was on his way to another outstanding season.
Born: Lansbro, Sweden, 1990
Height/weight: 183 cm (6’0″) / 82 kg (180 lbs)
Position: defence
NHL teams: Ottawa Senators
Drafted: 2008 by Ottawa Senators (first round, 15th overall)
Awards: James Norris Memorial Trophy (best defenceman) – 2012; first NHL All-Star team – 2012
The top-rated basketball player in this year’s high school senior class, Andrew Wiggins has announced that he will be pursuing his college education at Kansas.
Wiggins, from Toronto, Canada had been considering Florida State, Kentucky and North Carolina.
He averaged 23.6 points, 11.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists for Huntington Prep in West Virginia last season and was named the Naismith High School player of the year.
When asked why he picked the Kansas Jayhawks, Wiggins simply said: “I just followed my heart.”
