Tag Archives: Soccer

Beckham Bends It Like Achilles

By Robin Bates | Published: December 29, 2012

In 2010 Carol Ann Duffy compared Beckham to Achilles after he went down with an injury to his Achilles tendon.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , | Comments closed

Spanish Soccer as the Lady of Shalott

By Robin Bates | Published: July 7, 2012

In “The Lady of Shalott,” beauty can’t stand up against the real world. By winning the European Cup, Spain showed us this doesn’t always have to be the case.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , | Comments closed

Twice Left for Dead, Japan Claws Back

By Robin Bates | Published: July 23, 2011

Two images came to mind as I twice watched the Japanese soccer team rebound from deficits. One was from Alain’s Renais’s film “Hiroshima Mon Amour” where we see grass clawing its way back in the city streets on the day following the atom bomb. The other was of the tortoise crossing the road in “Grapes of Wrath.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , | Comments closed

Cinderella vs. Jane Eyre in Soccer Final

By Robin Bates | Published: July 16, 2011

In tomorrow’s World Cup finals, Japan is Cinderella going up against America’s Jane Eyre.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments closed

Barcelona-Madrid Is Like Goneril-Regan

By Robin Bates | Published: May 28, 2011

Think of the elder Lear sisters as Barcelona and Madrid and Edmund as a spot in the Champions League final. This would make Goneril Barcelona since she’s the one that emerges (temporarily) triumphant.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , | Comments closed

Spanish Yin, Dutch Yang, and Shakespeare

By Robin Bates | Published: July 12, 2010

The commentators called it an ugly game, but I found something compelling about Spain’s victory over the Netherlands in yesterday’s World Cup final. And after all, regardless of what happened earlier in the game, how can one argue when the winning goal–and a beautifully struck ball at that–occurs just minutes before the end of overtime? […]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , | Comments closed

The Poetry of Spanish Soccer

By Robin Bates | Published: July 10, 2010

The incomparable Xavi  Sports Saturday Spanish sports is having a great year. First of all, Spanish forward Pau Gasol was a major reason why the Los Angeles Lakers won their 16th championship in an archetypal series against the Boston Celtics. Then we were officially ushered from the Age of Federer into the Age of Nadal […]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments closed

Soccer Highs and Lows and a Tennis Epic

By Robin Bates | Published: June 26, 2010

John Isner         Sports Saturday – “It’s incredible!  You could not write a script like this!” So proclaimed the announcer in the U. S. – Algeria World Cup match when Landon Donovan netted a stoppage time goal to avoid elimination and send the Americans forward to the next round. In other words, a sports announcer’s ultimate […]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments closed

Soccer, an Un-American Sport?

By Robin Bates | Published: June 19, 2010

Landon Donovan, man of the match        Sports Saturday Years ago I read (I think in The Washington Post) a humorous article about why Americans are not great soccer enthusiasts.  The article said that Americans have problems with a game where a two-goal lead is practically insurmountable. Robert Frost would have something to say about that. […]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , | Comments closed