Who is?

Hint: athletics and women's soccor were not the only world competitions in September.

Photo source: Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Ina Fassbender

Women's World Cup: Germany (not the US)

Germany put down Brazil! But in the semis: (local) ABC Channel 13: Brazil shuts out US, 4-0, at Women's World Cup I know not much about soccor, but "own goal" sounds like you can't cause the ball to go into the goal you are defending.

I am coming back to women's world cup: the photos from the tournament are very . . .interesting. FIFA World Cup China official site

Osaka 2007: Peepin' Beijing

It took a month of digging, but, while I watched TV, there was so much said that it appeared nothing was said. I tried to look beneath appearances.

What is startling at this moment is the full IAAF schedule to Beijing:

• WMRA 4th Grand Prix Sat 6 Oct 2007
• 2nd IAAF World Road Running Championships Sun 14 Oct 2007
• CISM Military Games Sun 14 Oct 2007 - Sun 21 Oct 2007
• 14th European Cross Country Championships Sun 9 Dec 2007
• 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships Fri 7 Mar 2008 - Sun 9 Mar 2008
• 36th IAAF World Cross Country Championships Sun 30 Mar 2008
• FISU Cross Country Championships Sun 6 Apr 2008 - Mon 7 Apr 2008
• 23rd IAAF World Race Walking Cup Sat 10 May 2008 - Sun 11 May 2008
• 12th IAAF World Junior Championships Tue 8 Jul 2008 - Sun 13 Jul 2008
• The XXIX Olympic Games Fri 8 Aug 2008 - Sun 24 Aug 2008

That's it: it makes it look like Beijing is already here. Of course, the US national championships will be had. And, at this moment, I don't want to search to see if there will be a Golden League, Super Grand Prix or Grand Prix series next year (because I still want to comment on this year's events.) But . . . close.

Osaka 2007: Czech Republic's Barbora Spotakova javelin gold over Obergfoell and Nerius

Barbora Spotakakova, javelin gold

javelin podium, from left, Germany's Christina Obergfoell (silver), Barbora Spotakova, Germany's Steffi Nerius (bronze)

Barbora Spotakova, javelin gold

Christina Obergfoll of Germany

Germany% Steffi Nerius

Spotakova repeats in Stuttgart, September 22, 2007

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/opps; Yahoo! News/oops; Yahoo! News/opps; Yahoo! News/opps; Yahoo! News/opps;Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

FIFA Women's World Cup Status

I am an evolving soccor enthusiast: the truth is, I know nothing about the game. Saturday, I tried to count the number of players each team had on the field while watching the neighhood little leaguers play. Never did get that count (though the number appears far less than the herd (please forgive my use of this term just this once) that appear in world cup and pro games.)

FIFA is not helping out at their site. In my last post, I was concerned that the "State of Play" link might not hold: today I am not sure if it has or has not held. But there are lots of resources out at the official site: again, photos, video (full game coverage feed unavailable to us in the USA (boo!)), video highlights, statistics. Standings (USA is tops in its group; Brazil is intimidating all with it's unbeaten record.)

Everything but just a simple schedule.

FIFA Women's World Cup - The state of play as of today

I hope this link holds, because it is updated daily. If I see that it does not hold, I will reprint the story in its entirety. It is a great intro to the game for us novices. Need to start boning up: they will be launching a league of their own in the USA in '09 plans are. Coverage has been great on ESPN and ESPN2 (from a novice's view anyway). The State of Play Lot's of great stuff out at the site: photos, videos, stats. In the photo, Team USA warming up.

Photo source: Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko

Jelena Jankovic loses it in Bali

CNN.com: Davenport puts out irate Jankovic Pictured: Jelena Jankovic in Bali.

Photo sources: (all) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim

Osaka 2007: Russia sweeps the long jump

People's Daily Online: Russia sweeps women's long jump at Osaka athletics worlds

Lyudmila Kolchanova, silver, Tatyana Lebedeva, long jump gold,Tatyana Kotova, bronze, all of Russia

Tatyana Kotova, Lyudmila Kolchanova andTatyana Lebedeva all of Russia

Lyudmila Kolchanova

Tatyana Lebedeva

Tatyana Lebedeva

Concepcion Montaner of Spain

Bianca Kappler of Germany

Naide Gomes of Portugal

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Brian Snyder; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Ruben Sprich; Yahoo! News/AFP/Gabriel Bouys; Yahoo! News/AFP/Toshfumi Kitamura; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Ruben Sprich; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Brian Snyder; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Ruben Sprich;Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Ruben Sprich

Osaka 2007: 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics Aug 25, 2007 to Sept 2, 2007

Now eleven days past, the smoke is yet clearing on the statements that were to be had and those made. It is a quite fascinating search: I hope to spend some time on these, and, then again, maybe no time. Osaka 2007 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, official site

Photo source: Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus

Justine Henin, US Open champ, yea; below, Kutzy

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Charles Krupa; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Shaun Best; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kathy Willens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Charles Krupa; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Charles Krupa

US Open day 12: 'da hommies are silenced

women's singles (semifinals)

US Open days 8, 9 and 10

As I said at the beginning of the Open, it's anybody's guess. I just do not know enough about the women in the bottom half of the draw in this arrangement to do anything but defer to others more knowledgeable. women's singles (fourth round)

There was a dynamic that set the draw as it did: it is not explicable to me at this moment.

At 7-6(7-3) 6-1, Justine Henin's victory over Serena in the quarters was convincing. Venus and Serbia's Jelena Jankovic went 4-6 6-1 7-6(7-4): game on the real side, for sho'!

But I still can't talk about what is happening in the bottom half of the draw.

US Open day 7

The women did play: the Williams survived important tests to their careers: Serena defeated Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli 6-3 6-4, while Venus put away Ana Ivanovic (again, Venus continues on form) 6-4 6-2. The Williams most assuredly do still have game!

Pictured: Ana Ivanovic in her day 5 match against Vera Dushevina of Russia.

Photo sources (both) Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

US Open days 5 and 6: Sharapova unceremoniously booted

Dinara Safina ended USA's Ahsha Rolle's run; 26 seeded Sania Mirza lost to the no. 6 seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia. Maria Sharapova's lost was on CBS.

More interestingly, though, were the matches set up for round four: (I thought) a broadcasting dream. Alas, the TV commentators said something like "and that's it for the ladies for the week", and I though "hum, only the men are playing Sunday." My attention Sunday was totally caught up in the World Track and Field championship, so the few time I did remember to check in on the US Open there were no women matches. Again I thought, "yea, Monday." Yea, right!

women's singles draw (third round)

USA's Ahsha Rolle

India's Sania Mirza

Russia's Maria Sharapova

Ahsha Rolle

Ahsha Rolle

Ahsha Rolle

Ahsha Rolle

Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova

Photo sources: (in order) Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kathy Willens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kathy Willens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Julie Jacobson ; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kathy Willens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kathy Willens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kathy Willens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kathy Willens;Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kathy Willens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Kathy Willens; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Julie Jacobson; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

US Open day 4

Sania Mirza, right, defeated USA's Laura Granville 6-3 7-5 to advance to the third round of a grand slam for the first time in two years.

The names in this half of the draw- Nadia Petrova, Martina Hingis, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Patty Schnyder- are totally ignored to the steam engine in the very bottom slot: the number two seed and defending champion Maria Sharapova who had a 6-1 and 6-0 set in both the first and this round.

Photo source: Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton.

US Open day 3

Ahsha Rolle, pictured, proved that her first round victory over Tatiana Golovin was no simple fluke as she advanced again.

Photo source: Yahoo! News/(AP Photo/Amy Sancetta

US Open day 2 notes

The Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, seeded 9, out in round 1. FoxSports: Daniela can't explain errors

Photo sources: Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Shaun Best;Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Shaun Best; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

US Open day 1 notes

Nothing notable, except Tatiana Golovin

out in round one in three sets to USA's Ahsha Rolle.

Photo sources: Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Ed Betz; Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Ed Betz; Yahoo! News/REUTERS/Keith Bedford

on the fiftieth anniversary of Althea Gibson's US Title: is this really rocket science LA,CA

One of my favorite voices, Roberta Flack (pictured), was there. (Make no mistake: I've listened to much Aretha in my time: just waiting on that second Gospel album . . ..)

Differing perspectives:

Yahoo! Sports: Venus, Serena Williams honor pioneer Gibson with 1st-round wins at U.S. Open

LATimes people (macking both the event and their home sisters, Venus and Serena (when are these people going to get a clue! 'Da hood can honor these heroines in real time, or at least stall on all the petty, envious dis'ing)): Althea Gibson honors are a little too little, too late Is this a failure to hear oneself?

Photo source: Yahoo! News/AP Photo/Amy Sancetta

US Open opens quietly today for the women

The US Open tennis tournament begins today, and it is wide open on the women's side. In fact, it might be said to be too much so for the comfort level of most Americans: are we ready to accept a nondescript champion? (Marion Bartoli is . . . descriptive.)

No pressure Venus and Serena. (There can be no Williams sisters final: Serena is in the first quarter of the bracket, Venus in the second. If they meet, it must be in the semis.)

Women's singles draw

women's doubles draw