Numbers Game - #11

#11 has its place in history as well as in sports.  First, we'll go back about 40+ years.

Apollo 11, the first manned spacecraft to land on the moon, back in 1969, commanded by the one and only Neil Armstrong.

Giants legendary QB and two time Super Bowl champion Phil Simms

2022 World Cup is Where?!?

Let me preface by saying that I can care less about all things soccer - amateur, college, pro, and women's.  I happened to be in Dallas for this past summer's World Cup.  That might have been the only time I've ever really taken in an entire soccer match.  And I'll admit, it wasn't as bad as I had imagined.

From what I have been told, we were in contention for hosting the 2022 World Cup.  Morgan Freeman, a great actor and activist, was sent to speak on our country's behalf.  So was Bill Clinton.  But take a gander at the mistake Morgan Freeman made right around the 7:00 mark.  (In his defense, it was pretty dark in that room).



Qatar actually got the bid, which I am not all that upset over.  They do have a 5-star airline.  But seriously, why do we need to host a sport that our country gets excited about once every four years?  The answer:  we don't and won't.

Qatar.  All 4,416 square miles of it - that's just a little smaller than the state of Connecticut (the third smallest state in the US).  From the pictures I've seen of the Qatar, it looks like a pretty neat place to be from, if you're into oil.

June and July are the months in which the World Cup are generally held - the average high temperature in Qatar during those months is 106° and 115°, respectively, with zero precipitation.  I hope they have a lot of water and ambulances on the sidelines, because people are going to be dropping like flies.  And I ain't talking about taking a dip in the Persian Gulf.  Professional athletes have rarely, if ever, been asked to perform regularly in temperatures exceeding 105°.  It's almost inhumane.

Their natural resources are petroleum, natural gas, and fish (cia.gov).
The terrain of Qatar is mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel (cia.gov).

Overall, it sounds like they really knocked this one out of the park.  SIKE!

(The 2018 World Cup is being held in Moscow, Russia - no qualms here.  Pack your vodka.)

Numbers Game - #10

Now on to double digits.  It starts with the single greatest number on earth, according to my lovely wife - 10.  Here's a few #10's for the record books - some stats are included for your reading pleasure.

SU Field Hockey great Lindsay Darcy (my wife).  I couldn't dig up any stats, but I know she scored the game-winner against Ohio State.  I saw the video.  She's still competitive as a mo-fo.

This former Reds and Tigers manager led Reds to two World Series titles and the Tigers to one.  He amassed over 2,190 wins as a manager and was inducted into the HOF in 2000.  His #10 is retired by the Cincinnati Reds, Sparky Anderson.  (Photo courtesy of AP)

"The Scooter" Phil Rizzuto, born in Brooklyn, helped lead the Yankees to seven World Series titles in his 13 seasons in pinstripes.  He was then a staple on the idiot box, calling Yankees games for many years, throwing around his signature, "Holy Cow!".  (Photo courtesy of NYTimes)