US Soccer Abruptly Fires Women's Coach Tom Sermanni

The United States Women's National Soccer Team is coming off a 2-0 friendly win over China. Yet just hours later, they abruptly fired head coach Tom Sermanni. Maybe this was due to a 7th place finish at the Algarve Cup, which had the first back-to-back losses for the USWNT since 2001. Sermanni reportedly had no idea this was coming and is shocked.

However, why play a match against China and fire him afterwards with another match in a few days instead of right after the tournament, if it had to do with the poor Algarve Cup performance? Rumors have circulated that players have been unhappy with his approach and the constant tinkering with the lineup to try and find the perfect one in time for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada. It has come out though that players were not behind it, and many spoke about how they liked him. However, nobody seems to know exactly why this happened yet. Of course, it will come out soon, especially with a game on Thursday and the start of the NWSL (National Women's Soccer League) on Saturday. In an update, it seems his laid back style did not mesh well with what Sunil Gulati and US Soccer wanted.

Nadeshiko Japan has seemed to have the United States' number since the 2011 Women's World Cup in big matches. Of course, USA defeated Japan for the London 2012 Gold Medal, however an obvious handball that was missed by the ref which would've led to a Japan PK, and likely goal, helped with that. Japan has been a model of consistency, discipline and technicality. Will one year with a new coach and new scheme be enough for the United States to roll through the world's best teams, particularly Japan, next summer? Sweden is another contender who have played very well against the US beating them at the 2011 Women's World Cup and 2014 Algarve Cup. And now they've got former US Coach Pia Sundhage coaching them. Though if any team is built to do it, it would be the United States.

US Soccer Doubleheader June 2nd

On Sunday June 2nd, US Soccer continues the 100th anniversary celebration by having a rare doubleheader of "friendlies". First the US Men's National Team takes on world power Germany at 2:30pm ET on ESPN. Then the US Women's National Team takes on Canada in Toronto at 4:30pm ET on ESPNews in the anticipated rematch of the controversial game from the London 2012 Olympics.

In the men's game, USA will be playing against mostly bench players from Germany. However, bench players on Germany would likely be starters on most other teams, so it won't be much easier for them. Also missing will be Landon Donovan, who hasn't been called up for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in June. However it was just announced he will be on the 2013 Gold Cup roster. He makes the team better, so not seeing him at the 2014 World Cup should the US qualify would be a surprise.

Then comes the main event, being dubbed simply "The Rematch" by the Canadian Soccer Federation. The game sold out in less than an hour, as 22,000 people will be packing into BMO Field in Toronto to watch rivals Canada & USA meet for the first time since the outstanding semi-final match at the 2012 London Olympics. Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan will of course be on hand, as well as Canadian star Christine Sinclair. Hope Solo is still recovering from surgery, so she did not make the trip. Sinclair & Morgan are NWSL teammates for the Portland Thorns, so it will be fun to see them as opponents once again. Even though this is a friendly, it will be an intense back and forth match that both teams want to win even though it doesn't have an impact on anything besides the FIFA rankings. Expect an involved crowd and for the boos to rain down on USA, especially Sydney Leroux, the dual Canadian-American citizen who chose to play for the US over Canada.

This is no doubt a huge match for Canada. Its a fantastic test to see how they handle the pressure of so many hometown eyes on them. A sold out crowd and millions watching on TV, facing one of the world's best teams on their own turf. In two years, Canada will stage the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, and the attention will be far greater. A strong showing on Sunday would increase fans' interest and excitement even more than it already is. One thing is certain, the 2015 Women's World Cup should work wonders for soccer in general in Canada, much like the 1994 World Cup & 1999 Women's World Cup did for soccer in the USA. The Canadian women have already become well known stars thanks to their bronze medal performance at the Olympics, and its great that the USA finally has a team that can challenge them in CONCACAF.

The Rolling Stones Headlining Glastonbury 2013

The rumors have been confirmed, as The Rolling Stones will headline the 2013 Glastonbury festival along with Mumford & Sons and the Arctic Monkeys. The festival was not held in 2012 due to the London 2012 Olympics, as well as to let the fields heal. The 2011 festival was headlined by U2, Coldplay and Beyonce.

The Rolling Stones haven't played an outdoor music festival since the infamous Altamont 1969 concert that was fraught with violence when the Hell's Angels were hired as "security", which led to the stabbing death of a fan. After the huge success of a peaceful Woodstock, Altamont signaled the end of the idea of a peaceful free music festival. It shook the Rolling Stones up enough that they stopped appearing at outdoor music festivals, until now.

Some rumors have said this would be their last performance as a group, but I have doubts about that. Come on...its the Rolling Stones. How many times have we heard rumors about a final performance? Get yer ya-ya's out and get ready for what should be a great show. Glastonbury will be one stop on their tour, other dates have yet to be announced. Rumors currently say that the tour could have 18 or more dates in North America, with some in Australia a possibility as well. AEG Live is expected to announce the dates sometime in April.

What songs would you like to see them play in a set list? I hope they break out some that haven't been performed much or at all lately. "Lady Jane", "She's a Rainbow", "Look What The Cat Dragged In", "Saint of Me", "As Tears Go By", "Highwire" and "Till the Next Goodbye" would be on my wishlist. I also hope they continue to play their two new songs from GRRR!, "Doom & Gloom" and "One More Shot". "Doom & Gloom" would easily make my top 10 favorite Stones songs, I love the energy of it.

Women's Soccer Rematch: USA vs Canada

Alex Morgan celebrates her game winning goal in London.

The United States Women's National Soccer Team will be taking on Canada in a rematch of one of the most buzzed about moments of the London 2012 Olympics. It will be the first time the two teams have faced off since that outstanding and controversial game this past summer.

The game was without a doubt the most famous and talked about soccer match in Canadian history, and certainly up there in the USA as well along with games from the 2002/2010 World Cups & 1999/2011 Women's World Cups. Canadian striker Christine Sinclair put on a clinic by scoring three goals for Canada during the match. The USA answered them each time with a goal of their own. One of which was the controversial and rarely called time wasting penalty against the Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeon, followed by a handball, which allowed Abby Wambach to even the score at 3-3. In overtime, Alex Morgan headed in the 4th and final goal in the closing seconds of the match to give the US the 4-3 victory and send them into the Gold Medal match where they beat Japan 2-1. It was the latest goal ever scored in a FIFA competition. Canada won the bronze after defeating France.

The rematch will take place on Sunday June 2, 2013 in Toronto, Canada at BMO Field, home of Toronto FC of MLS. It will be broadcast live on ESPN or ESPN 2 at 4:30 PM ET for our viewing pleasure, as well as on Sportsnet in Canada. Let's just hope they don't have a giveaway of anything that fans could throw on the field (kidding, though I'm sure it will be LOUD) in what will be an intense and emotional game. They call it a "friendly", but both teams will be playing this as if its the World Cup. Wambach & Sinclair are also both chasing Mia Hamm's all-time scoring record.

The scheduling is perfect timing as the new professional women's league, the NWSL, will be in its first season from April to August. This is the first pro league to be backed by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) and Mexican Football Federation (FMF). That combined with teams in the soccer-crazy Pacific Northwest will make this league a success.

Oscar Pistorius Charged With Murder

Reeva Steenkamp & Oscar Pistorius

File this under shocking news out of the sports world today, as Olympic & Paralympic "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius was charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who was found shot inside his home in South Africa.

Pistorius gained worldwide fame for being a double-amputee below the knee who ran in the London 2012 Olympics, thus gaining the "blade runner" nickname thanks to his carbon fiber "blades" that he ran with, as well as winning multiple Paralympic medals. He is one of the few athletes to compete in both the Olympics and Paralympics. Steenkamp was a model who was the Avon spokesperson in South Africa and featured in FHM magazine multiple times.

People are obviously wondering how someone who inspired so many people could do something so horrible. It's weird to think that a few months ago, myself and millions more were watching him on NBC and cheering for him. And now that same person has become a killer. But we never know what goes on behind closed doors. Just because someone rose to fame in a sport obviously doesn't mean they can't have issues. Pistorius seemed to have a few issues in his personal life. He crashed a boat in 2009 after drinking while driving it. He also recently had an altercation with another man over a woman.

Some media have speculated if it was an accident, as Pistorius kept weapons in his house out of fear of burglary, that he may have mistook her for a burglar when she entered his house in the night. Police are not treating it that way as of now though, and it seems this was clearly not an accident.

David Bowie is Back

David Bowie celebrated his birthday by unexpectedly announcing a brand new album titled The Next Day, his first since 2003, to be released in March 2013. Bowie also gave quite the birthday gift to the world...a brand new single just released to iTunes called "Where Are We Now?" Its a fairly mellow tune, which made me feel like I was in a trance, that is accompanied by an odd music video on his website which you can also watch below. Which is exactly what we love about him! If this new hypnotic song is any indication, The Next Day will be another solid album.

Who knew after turning down a performance at the London 2012 Closing Ceremonies that he was in the midst of writing and recording a brand new album. The enigmatic star has mostly been seen walking about New York City living on the down low since his last performance at a benefit with Alicia Keys in 2006. Everyone assumed he was retired, and then he hits the world with this great news.

Speaking of David Bowie, here are my favorite albums of his:
1. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (1972)
2. Scary Monsters (1980)
3. Heroes (1977)
4. Aladdin Sane (1973)
5. Let's Dance (1983)
6. Young Americans (1975)
7. Heathen (2002)
8. The Man Who Sold The World (1970)
9. Hunky Dory (1971)
10. Reality (2003)

London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony

Freddie Mercury

All good things must come to an end, and once again the Olympics have come and gone too quickly, with London 2012 ending with a bang, with one of the best Closing Ceremonies ever. Featuring performances from the likes of The Who, Spice Girls, George Michael, Muse, Anne Lennox as well as the members of Queen with Jessie J on vocals. They were introduced by the late, great Freddie Mercury on big video screens. It was old footage of him (from Live Aid 1985) interacting with a crowd, and the crowd in the London Olympic Stadium interacted back with him in a fantastic moment. This was the highlight along with the next one.

Another amazing moment came when a bunch of children came out to perform John Lennon's legendary song "Imagine". Then old footage of John Lennon came on the screens to sing the song, and it sent everyone into a frenzy (myself included). The children performed the song in sign language. The video was remastered from the archives of Yoko Ono especially for the Olympics. Much better than a hologram! Thank you Yoko for helping to bring John into the closing ceremony, where people from hundreds of countries were together singing and dancing, all "living life in peace." A sculpture of John's face was also created on the floor.

There were also tributes to David Bowie, Pink Floyd and The Beatles of course. The Spice Girls had a fairly good entrance, each coming out on a British style Taxi which then drove around the stadium floor with them standing on top. Russell Brand performed The Beatles' classic "I Am The Walrus" in a very psychedelic setting. Though Jessie J got so much screen time (too much) that I was half expecting her to come out and sing the "Olympic Hymn." Annie Lennox was dressed like some giant bird on a pirate ship which was odd, but interesting. Also got to see a great Monty Python performance. Some NBC viewers are mad that they cut out the band Muse and waited until midnight to show The Who after airing a new sitcom in between. Should have watched a BBC stream.

I loved the closing ceremony, and London knows how to stage on Olympics like no one else. This was their record third time hosting (1908, 1948 & 2012). Next its on to Sochi, Russia for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

Spice Girls Reunite

McKayla Maroney is Not Impressed, Kerri Strug

Gymnastics vault on an injured Leg? McKayla Maroney is not impressed.  (Click for larger)

I was surprised I hadn't yet seen the McKayla Maroney meme used with Kerri Strug and/or Bela Karolyi from the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, so I had to make one for our enjoyment. I'm sure there is one out there I haven't seen, but this is the best one of course. ;) And if you're one of the few who haven't heard of the McKayla Maroney meme yet, check this out for some laughs.

Olympic Women's Soccer: USA vs Japan

The United States is golden again after defeating the world cup champions Japan 2-1 in front of 80,203 fans at Wembley Stadium to finish the Women's Soccer/Football tournament at the London 2012 Olympics. Japan defeated the US in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup final in Germany, and this re-match more than lived up to the hype. Both teams were outstanding from start to finish. Carli Lloyd scored both goals for the USA, and Japan cut the lead to 2-1 in the 2nd half, but couldn't find a 2nd goal to tie. Hope Solo came up with some big saves to hold the US lead.

Even though Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach missed some chances, they didn't need it in the end with Lloyd stepping up for the United States. There was a Tobin Heath hand ball early in the game that should have been a Penalty Kick for Japan. However, referees missing these calls are nothing new, you have to keep playing and try to get another goal back. In attendance were members of the US Men's Basketball "Dream Team" and soccer icon Mia Hamm. Japan, nicknamed Nadeshiko, were upset at first but danced their way onto the podium, happy to win the silver medal a year after winning the World Cup. You can't help but like their great spirit that goes along with the talent.

A funny moment happened during the medals ceremony, as the fans at Wembley Stadium let the boos rain down on FIFA president Sepp Blatter. Earlier in the day, Canada defeated France 1-0 with a late goal to win the Bronze medal. I also wondered why they didn't move the game to NBC instead of NBC Sports Network. Maybe they're trying to build awareness of the NBC Sports Network, but still. There will be homecoming friendly matches on NBC in September.

Carli Lloyd shoots her second goal

Misty May & Kerri Walsh Make History

Misty May and Kerri Walsh finished their Olympic gold medal three-peat by winning gold in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and now London 2012, remaining undefeated (21-0) in all three Olympics. And they only dropped one set during their reign as well, easily the best and most popular Beach Volleyball team of all time. The match was Misty May's final one, confirming she will retire from the sport. Kerri Walsh is going to continue on with a new partner and attempt to qualify for Rio 2016. Odds are she will, and it will be interesting to see who she chooses and how they play together on the big stage.

In some other Olympic news, track star Allyson Felix won her first individual gold medal in her third Olympics and as expected, Usain Bolt continued his Olympic dominance on the track. The US Men's Indoor Volleyball & Water Polo teams were both eliminated, leaving it up to the women to get medals.

And as a reminder of the biggest event tomorrow, USA takes on Japan for the Gold Medal in Women's Soccer at Wembley Stadium. As of Tuesday 83,000 tickets had been sold, which will make it the most attended Olympic women's soccer match beating the 76,489 from Atlanta 1996 as well as the most attended soccer match at London 2012. It will probably fall short of the women's soccer record 90,185 that attended the Rose Bowl in California for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup final that the US famously won on penalty kicks over China. Live coverage of the game starts around 2pm ET on NBC Sports Network in the US, don't miss it!

USA-Canada Women's Soccer Controversy

About this "controversy" during the outstanding USA-Canada soccer match in the Olympics - Get over it is what I have to say. The USA won the game 4-3 fair and square. Yes there were "controversial calls." But there was a moment in the 54th minute when Canada's Melissa Tancredi stomped on Carli Lloyd's head inside the box, which could/should have been a Red Card. American fans are not complaining. There wasn't some fix before the game. For the Canadian players to say "the ref should have worn a US jersey" is crazy. They should be thankful Tancredi wasn't sent out of the game where they would have had to play down a player.

And before the game, Canada coach John Herdman said the "US uses highly illegal tactics in the box." So he got what he wanted, the ref went by the rule book with the 6 second rule against the Goalkeeper, it just didn't work out in Canada's favor. Be careful what you wish for! Not only that, but Great Britain got robbed of a penalty kick against this same Canadian team. So why don't they bring attention to that? Maybe because they won the game and beat GB? During the first half there were about 5-7 times Erin McLeod, Canada's Goalkepper, held the ball for around 15 seconds to try and slow the game down. The ref warned her at the half she would enforce this rule, so it should not have been a surprise. Though personally I think it was a bad call, it was just one call. Bad calls happen in sports, it sucks but you have to forget it and keep going.

Here you can see Tancredi's step on Lloyd

So stop with the conspiracy theories and complaining, and focus on trying to beat France for the Bronze medal. Christine Sinclair is one of the best players in the world and she should be able to rally the team for a win over France. Canada has a lot of talent and will join the US as a Women's World Cup contender in 2015. It won't take away from Alex Morgan's phenomenal header in the 123rd minute, the latest goal in history.

London 2012: Women's Soccer Steals The Show

Oh what a day for women's soccer at the London 2012 Olympics. It started off with Japan taking on France in front of over 61,000 people at Wembley Stadium. The first half was a bit slow, but the game picked up in the second half. Japan took a 2-0 lead and controlled the ball. Then France unleashes a storm of shots, getting one back. They missed a penalty kick but kept on attacking Japan's goal. Japan sealed the win 2-1, and after the game consoled the upset French players in true Olympic spirit.

Then one of the most epic sports matches ever took place in Old Trafford between CONCACAF rivals the United States and Canada. Christine Sinclair of Canada put on a clinic, scoring three goals to give the lead to Canada three times during the game. But the USA would not go away. Megan Rapinoe scored two and the 3rd was scored on a controversial penalty kick by Abby Wambach. The back and forth battle fittingly went to Overtime as Twitter exploded with more and more people joining the action. The game was still tied 3-3 as 120 minutes went on, now into added time. In the final seconds, the USA sent in a cross and Alex Morgan headed the ball in to give the US the 4-3 win. Basketball coach Doc Rivers called it the best game he's witnessed at the Olympics in any sport. Another side-story was Abby Wambach and Christine Sinclair both chasing legendary Mia Hamm's record of 158 international goals.

USA will move on to Wembley Stadium to take on world champions Japan in a re-match of last summers outstanding FIFA Women's World Cup final, which Japan won in a penalty kick shootout. The match will air Thursday at 2:45 ET on the NBC Sports Network here in the states. Canada will take on France for the Bronze Medal at 8AM ET. Canada no doubt won many fans during the match, and they may not have beaten the US since 2001 but I can guarantee they will very soon.

The Canadian women's team has elevated soccer in Canada ahead of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, which has been expanded to 24 teams. Plenty of Americans will be making the trip to our friendly neighbor to the north for that tournament and the atmosphere could rival the 1999 Women's World Cup in the USA. Until then, it's the Olympics.

London 2012: Olympic Soccer Semifinals Set

The semifinals of the London 2012 Olympics Soccer (Football) Tournament is set. First on the women's side, United States defeated New Zealand 2-0, Japan beat Brazil 2-0, France topped Sweden 2-1 and the hosts Great Britain fell to Canada 2-0. In the USA-New Zealand match there was a nasty collision between Alex Morgan's knee and Jenny Binden's head. Luckily both are fine, and Morgan should start in the semifinal between USA and Canada, 2:45 ET on NBC Sports Network Monday. Canada hasn't beaten the United States since 2001, but you have to imagine the Canadians are closing in on a victory. All streaks must come to an end. I don't think they will get it tomorrow, but you never know. Abby Wambach has been on a roll scoring in every game, while Hope Solo and the US defense hasn't allowed a goal since the first half against France in game one.

Canada is hosting the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, so this final four finish is already a big success ahead of that. They've shown that they will be contenders to win it all on home soil. The other semifinal is Japan vs. France. The defending World Cup champions should have a tougher challenge from France than they did against an aging Brazil. If Japan controls possession like they should, I expect them to win and set up a Women's World Cup final rematch with the USA. 2011 FIFA women's world player of the year, Homare Sawa, has yet to score for Japan.

On the men's side its Japan vs. Mexico and Brazil vs. South Korea. Brazil are the clear favorites for their first Olympic gold, but South Korea could give them fits. Japan dominated Egypt, though Mexico will be a tougher test for them. I expect Japan to beat Mexico and take the silver, with South Korea taking bronze.

London 2012 Olympics, Day 6 & 7

There were some notable upsets at the London 2012 Olympics. Tyler Clary won a gold medal beating out Ryan Lochte, who finished 3rd. Clary broke Lochte's Olympic record from Beijing 2008, and it was Lochte's signature race. The US men's volleyball team beat #1 ranked Brazil. They also beat Brazil for the upset gold medal in 2008, so they have their number. Michael Phelps beat Ryan Lochte in their second and final meeting, so they each won one against each other. Phelps also won his final solo race today.

Gabby Douglas, aka "The Flying Squirrel" won the women's gymnastics individual all-around gold to add to her team gold. She joins Mary Lou Retton, Carly Patterson, Paul Hamm and Nastia Liukin as Americans who have won the individual all-around gold. Bela Karolyi was animated as usual with his excitement after this. In Beach Volleyball, defending men's gold medalists Rogers & Dalhausser were eliminated.

Kayla Harrison won gold in Women's -78 kg Judo. This is significant because it is the first gold medal for the United States in Judo. This leaves just 8 sports left that the USA has not won Olympic gold in. In Tennis, Roger Federer beat Juan Del Potro in the longest match in Olympic history. Serena Williams will be in the gold medal match.

NBC has said the sport averaging the most viewers on its cable networks during the day is Archery, averaging 1.5 million viewers. You can thank The Hunger Games, Brave and Hawkeye from The Avengers for the rise in the popularity of Archery. The USA Women's Soccer team, Basketball teams, Volleyball teams, etc are getting more viewers, but when you factor in all the other soccer, basketball, volleyball games then that is why archery is averaging more.

North Korea has made some news. Apparently they give Refrigerators to their medal winning athletes. Losing athletes get sent to labor camps. I wonder why none of the North Koreans who lose don't just flee the Olympic area and go into hiding? Also, its weird that they give them refrigerators when they don't have enough food to go around. Kim Jong-un you tease.

London 2012 Olympics Day 3, 4 and 5

The London 2012 Olympics have been on fire for NBC. Michael Phelps broke the record for most Olympic medals all time, getting 19 on Tuesday. He could possibly add to that amount. Fan favorite Allison Schmitt also won her first Olympic gold medal. She picked up her second as the anchor of the 4x200 meter freestyle, where the team set an Olympic Record..

The "Fab Five" of Women's Team Gymnastics won the first Team Gold Medal for the USA since the Magnificent Seven did it in Atlanta 1996, when Kerri Strug completed the winning vault on an injured leg, getting carried off by Bela Karolyi. Bela is famous for his enthusiasm during the NBC interviews. They should get his reaction for every event.

The knockout stage of Women's Soccer has been set. The Quarterfinals are: Sweden vs. France, Japan vs. Brazil, USA vs. New Zealand and Great Britain vs. Canada. Great Britain had a memorable 1-0 win over Brazil in front of 70,584 fans at Wembley Stadium. That's a women's attendance record in England. All games will be on Friday, with USA vs. New Zealand at 9:30 AM ET on NBC Sports Network. If both USA and Great Britain win, the two will face each other in the semi-finals at Old Trafford in Manchester. You couldn't ask for a more exciting match than for USA taking on home-town GB in front of possibly 70,000 people. They both have to win first.

USA Women's Field Hockey got a big upset win over Argentina 1-0. Misty May and Kerri Walsh have remained undefeated in Beach Volleyball games at the Olympics, though they did lose their first set at one. That may actually be a good thing, they finally had to bounce back from dropping a set to win a match. Both Indoor Volleyball teams look to be on their way to the next round, with Destinee Hooker turning into the breakout star for the US women. Both Basketball teams will be moving on as expected.

Some controversy as well. South Korean fencer Shin A-Lam got screwed out of a medal. During her match, there was one second left on the clock, and her German opponent needed more than that to get her point to win. Well, the clock didn't start (possibly because the person in charge was a teenage volunteer), which gave the German enough time to pick up the win when the match should have been over. South Korea tried to protest, and Shin had to sit on the floor for 30 minutes in tears, but the FIE (International Fencing Federation) decided to not overturn it. They offered her a "special" FIE medal, but she of course declined. Instead of getting a Silver or Gold Olympic Medal, which can of course happen just once every four years, she goes home empty handed because of a mistake that they did not correct. BS.

Opening Weekend of the 2012 Olympics a Hit

The Opening Ceremony and the first two days of the London 2012 Olympics have come and gone, and have delivered on every level. Though, did anyone think they wouldn't?

The Opening Ceremony featured a short film with James Bond (Daniel Craig) and the Queen Herself, Queen Elizabeth II, showing off her dry sense of humor. A stand-in Queen jumped out of a helicopter, and the real Queen entered the stadium to take her seat. Paul McCartney also gave a solid performance, showing that even one of the biggest stars in the world can get choked up being at such a massive event, as he did at the start of "Hey Jude."  There was also a mysterious woman who snuck into the parade of athletes with the team from India (see below). You can't miss her, she is the one in a red jacket and teal pants, walking and waving like she is one of them. I love that she managed to bypass security in a bright colored outfit and get to the front of the line with nobody saying anything to her. She did it with a smile, which must be the key.

Ryan Lochte beat Michael Phelps for Gold on Saturday, and Phelps failed to medal in the event. The US Women's Soccer team beat Colombia 3-0 to clinch a spot in the Quarterfinals with one group Stage game to go against mysterious North Korea on Tuesday. Abby Wambach got punched during the game by the sneaky & dirty Lady Andrade, getting a black eye, behind the refs back. Wambach responded by burying a goal into the back of the net. Colombia has yet to score a goal in a major tournament (ha ha). And its ironic that her name is "Lady", because she is obviously far from being one. The power-house Spanish men's soccer team lost two games to Japan & Honduras, being eliminated in the group stage. Hope Solo also cause a furor, tweeting her displeasure for US icon Brandi Chastain's criticisms during commentary. I'll stick by Chastain on this, its her job to be critical, not 100% positive all the time. *Update* - Lady Andrade has been suspended by FIFA two games for striking Abby Wambach. 

Kim Rhode (shooting) became the first American to win a medal at five straight Olympics dating back to Atlanta 1996. Both Volleyball teams picked up wins, as did the Basketball teams. Misty-May & Kerri Walsh also kicked off their quest for a 3rd straight Beach Volleyball gold with a hard fought victory. It won't be as easy this time around. USA also won its first diving medal since Sydney 2000. In the men's 400 free swim relay, USA couldn't shock France like they did in Beijing 2008, getting silver behind France this time. Bill Gates is also a big Table Tennis fan, taking in some of the action. Great Britain picked up some medals, but are still searching for their first Gold of the games. China currently leads the pack in both golds and total medals, with USA right behind. 

The London 2012 Olympics have also been ratings gold for NBC so far even though some complained that certain event were held back for tape delays to show in prime-time. The Opening Ceremony was NBC's highest rated ever, getting around 40 million viewers to surpass Atlanta 1996, which had 39 million. The first night of competition also surpassed Atlanta as the most watched opening night ever. I guess NBC gets the gold?

London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony to the London 2012 Olympics is just hours away, being shown in the USA on NBC at 730pm ET (tape delay). I already have the inspiring Olympic theme songs stuck in my head, as millions of you probably do. The ceremony is directed by Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle. It will of course celebrate British culture, and most of it is kept under wraps, but there are some rumors that have slipped through as well as some confirmations.

One amazing rumor that I hope is true is that a 40-foot Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter will do battle with various other British characters such as ones from Alice in Wonderland & Peter Pan. He will apparently be taken down by 30 Mary Poppins actors who will descend from the rafters. We'll see how exactly this plays out. I assume Ralph Fiennes will be portraying Voldemort on some giant screen or something similar.

Another is that there will be a short film of James Bond. Earlier in the year they were filming some helicopter scenes around London, with two helicopters chasing through the Tower Bridge. Maybe they can't compete with the 2,008 drummers from Beijing 2008, but London has the advantage of beloved popular culture and entertainment, plus huge musical superstars.

Paul McCartney will also be performing to apparently close the opening ceremony. Expect a huge sing-along of The Beatles classic, "Hey Jude". The Spice Girls have been confirmed to be performing at the Closing Ceremony on August 12th. Mick Jagger has denied that The Rolling Stones will be making a surprise appearance at one of the ceremonies.

And of course, the parade of nations featuring all the athletes will take place as per tradition.

London 2012 Olympics Storylines

The London 2012 Olympics begin on Wednesday (July 25) with Women's Soccer, followed by Men's Soccer on Thursday before the official Opening Ceremony on July 27th. NBC will be full of storylines throughout the games for American viewers.

Michael Phelps & Ryan Lochte - Possibly the top two swimmers in the world, both from the United States, will battle it out in a couple of events. You've probably seen Lochte all over TV and on the cover of various magazines. Phelps of course won 8 gold medals at Beijing 2008, and 6 gold medals at Athens 2004. I personally hope Lochte wins more. I mean, Phelps has enough medals by now. During an interview with Bob Costas he showed that some are kept in a plastic bag. Regardless, swimming is one of the big highlights of the tournament. Veteran Natalie Coughlin will be going for her 12th total medal in the Women's Team 4x100-Meter Freestyle Relay.

Women's Soccer Rematches - Last summer's FIFA Women's World Cup provided many great moments. Abby Wambach's LAST second header goal against Brazil. Japan defeating host Germany, powerful Sweden, then winning it all against the USA. At the Olympics, the United States will take on France on Wednesday, who have improved even more since their fourth place finish at the World Cup and will be the toughest test for USA in the group stage. Team GB (mostly England players) will make its Women's debut, though fans of Scotland & Wales don't really support a Great Britain team so the excitement in those countries for both soccer tournaments are not quite as high. Japan will look to become the first team to win a gold medal right after winning a world cup. For Brazil, Marta will be looking to finally lead the Brazilians to a Women's Soccer major tournament win, after finishing 2nd to the United States the past two Olympics. USA looks to continue their gold medal streak, winning gold in 1996, 2004 & 2008. (Norway beat them out in 2000.) And finally, Canada hopes to make an impression in a tough group, since they will be hosting the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, which will be expanded to 24 teams.

Basketball - The little barbs traded between this USA squad and the 1992 Dream Team have been entertaining. However, the gap has been closed on the United States more than it was back in 1992. USA will still dominate most teams and bring the most excitement, and are heavy gold medal favorites. But they might get a run from Argentina, Spain and France. LeBron James is looking to win a gold medal in the same year of his first NBA Championship with the Miami Heat. The US women's team will most likely dominate every team, with the exception of Australia & Russia who can put up a fight.

LoLo Jones - One of Twitter's most entertaining athletes, and proud 29-year-old virgin, she is looking to get past her mistake at Beijing 2008. The gold medal favorite hit one of the hurdles causing a stumble, which of course is the end of any track stars medal hopes in the hurdles. I have little doubt she will have a great race this time around, and should be a gold medal favorite once again.

Volleyball - The popularity of Volleyball has grown, with Beach Volleyball entering prime-time at the last Olympics. Misty May-Treanor & Kerri Walsh became the first Beach Volleyball team to win back-to-back golds and will now look to win a third straight. The United States won gold in both Men's & Women's Beach Volleyball as well as Men's Indoor Volleyball as underdogs. The Women's indoor team won silver. It will be tough to repeat that feat of medaling in all four disciplines, but sure will be fun to watch them try.

Serena Williams - Serena Williams will be looking for the only thing she doesn't have on her outstanding Tennis resume - Olympic Singles Gold. She actually doesn't have any singles medals, and is one of the favorites to at least get a silver or bronze, especially after winning Wimbledon. She does have doubles gold with sister Venus. Also in Tennis, Mixed Doubles (male/female) will be returning to the games for the first time since 1924. Might this lead to other mixed sports with males and females on the same team, such as Beach Volleyball?

Hope Solo Makes Outstanding Save

The United States Women's National Team took on Canada in a soccer send off ahead of the London 2012 Olympics on Saturday on NBC. Team USA edged out Canada 2-1 with a goal by Amy Rodriguez in the final minutes of the game in 90 degree plus heat at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

Even though the 2012 UEFA Euro Championship between Spain and Italy is today, I can safely say this save (watch below) by USA goalkeeper Hope Solo is the best save of the weekend. Solo knows how to show up to make close, nail biting saves in these situations. Hopefully we see plenty of them at the Olympics.

The United States WNT soccer/football schedule at the Olympics is as follows:

USA vs. France, July 25. 12pm ET - Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. 

USA vs. Colombia, July 28. 12pm ET - Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. 

USA vs. North Korea, July 31. 12:15pm ET - Old Trafford in Manchester, England.

I believe all soccer matches (as well as Basketball & Volleyball) will be on the NBC Sports Network in the US. Possibly NBC as well.

Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes Headed for Divorce; Adele Pregnant

Katie Holmes has filed for divorce from Tom Cruise in New York today, and is seeking sole custody of their daughter Suri Cruise. Well this came out of the blue. It feels like just yesterday when Cruise was jumping up and down on Oprah's couch and going nuts over their relationship. Now there's no more Oprah Show and no more TomKat. Oh how we miss you, 2005/2006.

Cruise is in Iceland filming a movie and apparently the filing was a shock to him. Holmes must be sick of the Scientology. I don't think this will be too hard on Suri, that girl has more high heels than you can fill an average sized house with.

In other news, Adele has announced that she is pregnant with her and boyfriend Simon Konecki's first child. Congrats to Adele. Surely her next album will have a few more cheerful songs with this new chapter in her life. There is a rumor that Adele will be performing at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, though we'll have to wait and see.