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Most Popular Team Sports

Posted by admin – October 14, 2008

Team sports just might be more popular than individual sports, although that is not always the case. Especially when it comes to spectator sports, team sports usually draws a lot of attention. What are the most popular team sports in the world today? Here’s a quick rundown, for your information.

  1. Football or Soccer.  The rest of the world calls it football, while the Americans call it soccer.  While it may not be popular in the United States, many other countries go crazy over soccer.  The World Cup is the best testament to the football craze.
  2. Basketball.  The National Basketball Association is the most high profile league in this sport, but there are countless other leagues in different parts of the world that continuously highlight the popularity of this sport.
  3. Rugby.  This is the most popular sport in New Zealand, but rugby has also spread to many other countries in the world, particularly in European ones.  More rugged than American football, rugby is said to be the “real man’s sport.”
  4. American Football.  Of course, we cannot discount this sport, even though it is largely limited to the USA.  Still, American football has started to spread to different countries, all the way to Asia.
  5. Baseball.  Popularly deemed the national sport of the USA, baseball – both professional and amateur – has caught the attention of other nations.  It is also considered the most popular sport in Japan, Taiwan, Cuba, and Colombia, among many other countries.

Athelte in Focus: Lance Armstrong

Posted by admin – August 19, 2008


Since we talked briefly about bicycle racing in the previous post, I thought it but fitting to feature the most prominent cyclist of this time: Lance Armstrong. Who doesn’t recognize this name? He has made the headlines so many times in the past decade.

Lance Edward Armstrong (real name: Lance Edward Gunderson) was born in September 18, 1971. The American cyclist’s best achievement is winning the Tour de France for seven consecutive times – so far the record. His battle with testicular cancer, which spread to his brains and lungs, only made his achievement more remarkable.

His career has not been without controversy, however, as he has been continuously accused of using enhancement drugs to improve his performance. Armstrong has consistently denied the allegations and has voluntarily submitted himself to tests, which have been negative. Indeed, he has even dubbed himself as the “most tested athlete.” This has not stopped detractors, though. Still, no one can deny the talent and will of this cyclist.

Of Bicycle Racing

Posted by admin – June 8, 2008

When bicycle racing is mentioned, most people think of Lance Armstrong immediately.  This guy is perhaps the most high profile cyclist in the history of the sport, and rightly so.  But do you know much about the history of bicycle racing?  Do you know about the different kinds of bicycle racing? Here’s a quick overview.

Bicycle racing supposedly originated way back from May 31, 1868, when the first race was held at the Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris.  This was a 1,200 meter race, which Englishman James Moore won.  His bike was a wooden one with iron tires!  Interesting, isn’t it?

As for the different kinds of races, we have road bicycle racing – which is perhaps the most popular today, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway.  The Tour de France falls under the first kind.  Cyclo-cross developed due to the fact that road racing could usually only take place during good weather.  During winter, cyclists needed an alternative activity to keep their training up, hence cyclo-cross and off-road bicycle racing.

More Sports Movies You Have to Watch

Posted by admin – March 7, 2008

In the previous post, we took a look at three of the best sports movies that you can watch. Here are several more, which have withstood the test of time.

  1. Chariots of Fire – the winner of the 1982 Academy Award for Best Picture, this movie is about the real story of Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams.  Their story is perhaps one of the most inspiring in the world of running.
  2. A League of Their Own – women can play baseball, too!  While the story is fictional, the emotions and insights are definitely real.  This movie features an all-star cast, which does not disappoint.
  3. Rocky – while the same cannot be said of the later installments of this movie, this 1976 film is definitely at the top of the list of best sports movies.  It won 3 Academy Awards, as well as the hearts of countless people from all over the world.  Many decades after it was released, sports enthusiasts still regard Rocky as highly as people did way back then.

Sports Movies You Have to Watch

Posted by admin – January 4, 2008

Sports fanatics will set everything aside to watch matches between their favorite teams.  Many will even work their schedules around games/matches.  Aside from actual games, there are sports movies that every sports enthusiast has to watch at least once.  In this post and the next, let’s take a look at some of the best sports movies.

  1. Jerry Maguire – not many people like Tom Cruise these days, but no one can deny that this movie is a good one.  Never mind “You had me at hello.”  The story about the sports agent and his football player is something that is short of inspirational.
  2. Rudy – based on a real life story of a Notre Dame football player, this movie will bring tears to your eyes – or at least make your chest feel tight.  It is very emotional and is a living testament to people’s sports dreams coming true despite many challenges.
  3. Remember the Titans – Denzel Washington coaches a high school football team during the early days of desegregation.  More than sports, it highlights social issues.

To be continued.