Laurent Dubois's Blog, page 50

Sunderland’s Chief Executive Margaret Byrne Sinks

In the modern era of professional sports, many teams have erred on the safe and responsible side when it comes to judging a player’s actions off the field. The NFL is a perfect example in which teams will promptly release a player following the emergence of illicit activities that ought to warrant concern. Thus, it… Read More »

March Madness and the FA Cup: Why Insanity Matters

I was watching the Northern Iowa / Texas A&M game this last weekend, and I had the stunning realization that I had been held captive by a game that meant literally nothing to me. My family has no ties to either college. I’ve never been to College Station, or to Cedar Falls, (Yes, I had… Read More »

O futebol na Africa

No livro African Soccerscapes, Peter Alegi conta a historia do futebol na África. Convenientemente, foi publicado justamente antes da Copa Mundial África do Sul 2010. Alegi relata como o futebol nesse continente tem funcionado como ferramenta para o imperialismo, mas a mesma vez tem sido um veículo de resistência contra o colonialismo. O desenvolvimento de… Read More »

Como Futebol Chegou à África e à Importância do Jogo na África

O futebol é jogado em todo os lugares do mundo. Quando nós pensamos de onde o futebol é jogado, nós geralmente associam futebol com os europeus e sul- e latino-americanos, mas o futebol tem expandido ao todo o mundo, e um dos lugares onde expandiu o máximo é a África. Futebol chegou à África “no… Read More »

Futebol na Africa

Alegi’s argumento principal nesse livro é conhecer que os europeus introduzirem futebol para África, mas quando o jogo chegou e os africanos começaram a jogar, futebol parou de ser um esporte europeu.  Os africanos adotaram o esporte como deles e mudou-o. O futebol influencio a cultura africana. Futebol se virou central por muitos aspetos de… Read More »

Updates on Qatar 2022

Few years ago the world learned of the newest nation to win the World Cup bid: Qatar. Since the news, there’s been many calls about their venues, extreme weather, social norms (no public alcohol and ban of homosexuality) and allegations of corruption. Now there’s been light on their preparedness, specifically the housing. According to International… Read More »

Losing a Legend

Growing up, my father and I had little in common. Even as a child I identified more with American culture than my Syrian heritage. We clashed constantly. He believed in an authoritarian upbringing, and like any adolescent, I rebelled. Times of peace were rare, but they shared a common theme — football. Weeknights were owned… Read More »

Book Review: “Fútbol!: Why Soccer Matters in Latin America” by Joshua Nadel

To think of football as just as a game is to ignore not only its relationship to national identities, but also its instrumental role in forging these identities. In his book Fútbol!: Why Soccer Matters in Latin America, Joshua Nadel sheds valuable light on this role by examining the impact of football in Argentina, Honduras,… Read More »

AFC Bournemouth’s Miraculous Rise Through the English Football Pyramid

While much attention has been given to Leicester City’s rise to the top of the Premier League table this season, there is another team that has seen an almost miraculous rise through English football. Just eight years ago, AFC Bournemouth had entered into bankruptcy and faced being removed from League Two, the lowest fully professional… Read More »

Premier League and College Basketball Team Comparisons

Earlier this week, in celebration of NCAA March Madness, the 68-team tournament that crowns the national champion of college basketball in the United States, Men in Blazers (the soccer-centric British podcast featuring Roger Bennett and Michael Davies) tried to deliver comparisons between the top 10 teams in the Premier League table to college basketball teams.… Read More »