Monthly Archives: December 2006

Bob DiGrazia, who coached the University of California’s men’s team for 28 years (1953-80) and remains the Bears’ all-time winningest coach with a 202-133-39 record, died Dec. 11. A San Francisco native, DiGrazia played for Cal in 1948-50 and became the Bears’ first All-American in 1950. As coach, he guided the Bears to their first […]

England star Wayne Rooney used a three-day break granted by Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson for a New York visit and nearly got injured at a basketball game. Rooney and fiancee Coleen McLoughlin had courtside seats for Monday’s New York Knicks game against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden. Early in the game, the […]

Last week, Boca Juniors coach Ricardo Lavolpe joked that he’ll be hanged if Boca finishes second. His team had already blown one chance to clinch the title, losing 1-0, to Belgrano Dec. 3. In its last game of the season on Sunday, Boca fell to Lanus, 2-1, a result that would still have delivered the […]

Lamar Hunt, a great patron of American soccer, is fighting for his life in a Dallas hospital. The 74-year-old, who has battled cancer for several years, was hospitalized a day before Thanksgiving with a partially collapsed lung. Doctors then discovered that the cancer had spread. Hunt, an original investor in MLS with the Columbus Crew […]

"I just want to say, I cannot be happier. I cannot be happier to be here. It is something I wanted. They’ve worked so hard to get me here and I appreciate that. I really do. This sort of has the same feeling as when I first came into the league. I feel reborn." — […]

In the continuing fallout from the U.S. District Court ruling that overturned FIFA’s planned eight-year sponsorship deal with Visa following a federal lawsuit brought by long-time financial services sponsor MasterCard, FIFA dismissed marketing director Jerome Valcke and three other employees. In a statement on Tuesday, FIFA acknowledged its World Cup sponsorship negotiations with rival credit […]

Just 10 days after West Ham United was sold and its new owner, Icelandic Eggert Magnusson, gave Manager Alan Pardew his full confidence, the English Premier League club fired Pardew. Pardew was said to be in Magnusson’s camp as the Icelandic tussled with Kia Joorabchian in the fight for control over the Hammers that ended […]

FC Dallas, which fired Colin Clarke after he failed for the second straight year to guide Dallas to the MLS Cup it hosted, has named Clarke’s assistant, Steve Morrow, head coach. Morrow, a Northern Irishman like Clarke, was assistant coach the past two seasons. Morrow, 36, played two seasons for Dallas (2002-03) after a career […]

Freddy Adu, 17, will don Real Salt Lake’s jersey when he starts his fourth season in MLS. D.C. United, which signed the Ghana-born star when he was 14, traded Adu, along with keeper Nick Rimando, for reserve goalie Jay Nolly, a major player allocation and significant future considerations. Adu, who moved to the USA at […]

"Freddy desired to play a different role than the one we offered here at D.C., so we hope this move can aid that wish." — A statement from D.C. United coach Peter Nowak on trading Freddy Adu to Real Salt Lake. (Washington Post)