Great Year for Nigeria Football
It’s been a great year for Nigeria football, with the country winning world and continental titles at the youth and senior levels. In February, Nigeria’s senior national team, nicknamed the Super Eagles, won its third Africa Cup of Nations trophy with a 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in Johannesburg, South Africa. About nine months later, […]
Mandela the Fighter
Nelson Mandela fought for freedom and justice for all, a lifelong battle that was fueled, in part, by his love for boxing. Mandela was an amateur boxer in his younger days and he credited the sport with helping instill discipline and the will to withstand the blows of hatred and a long imprisonment. In his […]
Oladipo Delivers in Debut NBA Season
We’re now about one-quarter of the way through the National Basketball Association’s regular season, and Victor Oladipo is putting up numbers that make him a top contender for the league’s Rookie of the Year award. I last blogged about Oladipo almost five months ago, shortly after he was selected #2 overall by the Orlando Magic […]
Joe DeCapua and the Mind-Body Connection
My Voice of America colleague Joe DeCapua is one of the most hardworking guys I’ve ever met, but trust me, sports fans, Joe knows how to relax and he does have a softer side. Over the years, Joe has given me some great tips about broadcast journalism as well as maintaining and improving your health. […]
Nigeria’s Iheanacho: From Small Poles to Four Goals
“I’ve scored four goals in a game many times, but only in the streets with my friends. But never in an international match, never for my country. The feeling is amazing,” said Kelechi Iheanacho, after an impressive performance in Nigeria’s opening match of the Under 17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Kelechi gave […]
The Olympic Torch Takes a Spacewalk
Yes you read right! The Sochi 2014 Olympic torch will make a historic appearance in space as part of its relay from Greece to Russia for the Winter Olympics next year. I’m sure like me, some of you are wondering how this is going to work. I’m no rocket scientist, but the little Einstein in […]
Yaya Toure on Target for Man City and Ivory Coast
Will Yaya Toure win a third straight African Footballer of the Year award? Based on his recent performances, the 30-year-old Toure has to be considered a strong contender once again for the trophy. African football analyst David Legge in Johannesburg says the rugged midfielder for Manchester City and Ivory Coast is doing very well early […]
Parker and France Win First EuroBasket Title
French star Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs says the road to a first European basketball title was an unbelievable journey and he wouldn’t change anything in how the successful script was written. Parker and the French team won their first major basketball trophy Sunday with an 80-66 victory over Lithuania in the final […]
Jim Fixx and My Joy of Running
I thought of Jim Fixx during my 7-mile run this morning around the neighborhood. It was a beautiful fall day with brilliant blue skies and cool temperatures. Fixx, the author of the 1977 best-seller, The Complete Book of Running, died of a heart attack in 1984 during one of his daily runs in Vermont. He […]
Althea Gibson Stamp
The new Althea Gibson U.S. postage stamp gets the official Sonny Side of Sports seal of approval. The United States Postal Service says the stamp of the tennis champion, who died in 2003 at age 76, emphasizes two of her notable characteristics: grace and athleticism. The art is based on a photograph taken at Wimbledon, […]