SOCCER - The Salt Lake Tribune

Tribune sports rant: Rather than fixate on Beckham’s flaws, remember him for what he did so well

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:42:08 MDT

Tribune sports rant: Rather than fixate on Beckham’s flaws, remember him for what he did so well

Updated May 18, 2013 11:42PM MDT

“He cannot kick with his left foot, he cannot head a ball, he cannot tackle, and he does not score many goals. Apart from that, he’s all right.” George Best said that about David Beckham — when the 38-year-old former L.A. Galaxy midfielder finished second in FIFA’s world player of the year honors more than a decade ago. Who’s George Best? He’s arguably the best British soccer player of all time. “Maradona good; Pelé better; George Best,” is a quote his admirers believe best summarizes his pl...

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4A boys’ soccer: East advances to state semis despite slow start

Sat, 18 May 2013 00:02:29 MDT

4A boys’ soccer: East advances to state semis despite slow start

By Bill Oram The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 18, 2013 12:02AM MDT

Rudy Schenk looked at his players and offered one final message before he sent them out for what he hoped would not be their last game. “Remember,” he said, “the pain of last year.” Even for this year’s version of the East Leopards, who replaced 16 seniors after the 2012 team lost in a shootout to Springville in the first round of the Class 4A tournament, the idea was clear. There would be no forgetting. There were constant reminders. The Leopards once again were challenged by a lower-seeded tea...

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4A boys’ soccer: East battles past Skyline

Wed, 15 May 2013 23:58:25 MDT

4A boys’ soccer: East battles past Skyline

By Ben Raskin Special to The Tribune

Updated May 15, 2013 11:58PM MDT

East’s normally talkative goalie temporarily fell silent. First-round nerves can do that to Phillip Padilla. But he found a way to fight back those butterflies and Skyline’s attack in East’s 4-1 victory in a Class 4A boys’ soccer playoff opener Wednesday. It wasn’t until the 34th minute that Padilla got something to yell about and something to quiet those nerves. East’s Landen Carlsen and Faysal Abdi were setting up for a free kick from 35 yards out with the score deadlocked at 1-1 after both te...

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5A boys’ soccer: Copper Hills shuts out Hunter

Sat, 18 May 2013 00:02:29 MDT

5A boys’ soccer: Copper Hills shuts out Hunter

By Tony Jones The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 18, 2013 12:02AM MDT

West Valley City • The Copper Hills boys’ soccer team battled youth and inexperience all season. It’s hard to tell now. The Grizzlies are back in the Class 5A state semifinals for the second consecutive year. A 2-0 victory over Hunter cemented the process. As a result, the Grizzlies will advance to the final four at Woods Cross High, where they will face Bingham. “It hasn’t always been easy for us this year,” Copper Hills coach Eddie Moura said. “We’ve had to deal with a lot. But this team has s...

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4A boys’ soccer: Murray handles Springville 2-0

Wed, 15 May 2013 23:58:25 MDT

4A boys’ soccer: Murray handles Springville 2-0

By Christopher Kamrani The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 15, 2013 11:58PM MDT

Murray • Future Spartans sat on the hill at Murray Park, donning Spartans helmets and orange youth soccer club jerseys watching the home team effortlessly pass the ball around the pitch. When Murray winger Clay Powell scored the team’s first goal in the waning seconds of the first half Wednesday, the youngsters sprinted around the bottom of the hill waving the orange-and-white checkered flags in celebration. The possession-based attack the Spartans employed is so effective that, at times, the te...

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RSL’s Nick Rimando called up to national team camp

Thu, 16 May 2013 23:48:33 MDT

RSL’s Nick Rimando called up to national team camp

By aaron falk The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 16, 2013 11:48PM MDT

Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando will be a part of the next U.S. men’s national team camp. Rimando is one of four Major League Soccer goalkeepers who will rotate throughout the duration of the camp. He was the only RSL player included in the U.S. Soccer roster released Thursday. The veteran net-minder Rimando was last called up in March as the U.S. faced off with Costa Rica and Mexico in World Cup qualifiers. The camp begins May 26 in Cleveland, where the team will prepare for a stretch of...

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National pastime alive and well in the Avenues

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:50:27 MDT

National pastime alive and well in the Avenues

By Nicholas J. Pappas Special to The Tribune

Updated May 16, 2013 01:50PM MDT

On May 11, the Avenues baseball league held its annual Diamond Day fundraiser, an event used to raise funds to sustain the league and to celebrate the national pastime. With more than 200 players ages 5 to 12, the league is one of the oldest and largest in the state. In a state that prides itself on outdoor activities, children have a plethora of choices during summer break. Baseball is one that makes each child the star, organizers say. “From the time the batter steps up to the plate, until t...

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David Beckham to retire, ending riveting soccer journey

Thu, 16 May 2013 23:52:09 MDT

David Beckham to retire, ending riveting soccer journey

By ROB HARRIS The Associated Press

Updated May 16, 2013 11:52PM MDT

LONDON • David Beckham is retiring from soccer, ending a career in which he transcended the sport with forays into fashion and a marriage to a pop star that made him a global celebrity. The 38-year-old former England captain, who recently won a league title in a fourth country with Paris Saint-Germain, said Thursday he will quit after the season. “It’s a good way to go out,” Beckham said in Paris. “It’s every athlete’s dream, every footballer’s dream to go out on the top — on top form or winnin...

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Cricket’s Daily 3: Beckham says goodbye to soccer

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:30:30 MDT

The Cricket’s Daily 3: Beckham says goodbye to soccer

By Sean P. Means The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 17, 2013 09:30AM MDT

Here’s what’s happening today in pop culture: • David Beckham is retiring from soccer, leaving more time for his careers as underwear model and Posh Spice’s arm candy. [NPR] • Looks like Nicki Minaj won’t be returning to “American Idol” next season, prompting the question, “Does anybody really care about “American Idol” anymore?” [Vulture] • The rumor mill around “Saturday Night Live” is churning, with reports that regulars Fred Armisen and Jason Sudeikis are probably leaving at the end of the ...

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Journey to World Cup ends in death

Wed, 15 May 2013 23:58:26 MDT

Journey to World Cup ends in death

By lauren gambino The Associated Press

Updated May 15, 2013 11:58PM MDT

Portland, Ore. • A final video of Richard Swanson shows him smiling and happy to be at the ocean as he prepared to dribble a soccer ball along Oregon’s coastal road on a planned 10,000-mile walk to Brazil. It was the same coastal road where he was fatally hit by a pickup truck, just an hour after posting the video on Facebook. Swanson’s trek began in Seattle on May 1. It ended on Tuesday near Lincoln City, Ore. when he was struck by a pickup truck on Oregon’s busy U.S. 101 just a few days shor...

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Prep boys’ soccer: Hunter’s freshman keeper a surprise sensation

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:49:52 MDT

Prep boys’ soccer: Hunter’s freshman keeper a surprise sensation

By Kyle Goon The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 14, 2013 01:49PM MDT

West Valley City • Sometimes Justin Motzkus dives in front of a shot and makes the save and his Hunter teammates taunt the shooter, sarcasm thick in their voices. “But that wasn’t supposed to happen,” they say. “He wasn’t supposed to save it. He’s just a freshman!” They’ve gotten to teasing their opponents now, but it wasn’t long ago when the 14-year-old goalie was a near-anonymous newcomer in tryouts. “I was just ready to play JV,” Motzkus said. “But I wanted to take anything I could get.” Seni...

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Soccer ref

Sun, 12 May 2013 23:07:57 MDT

Soccer ref

Updated May 12, 2013 11:07PM MDT

Re “Family mourns Utah soccer referee’s death” (Tribune, May 6): As a former volunteer soccer official in Virginia who was also assaulted by a teammate of a player to whom I was issuing a “red card,” it is apparent these cowards prefer to strike while our eyes are down, writing up the offender. My damaged left shoulder needed surgery. The attacker did six months in jail. Events like the punch that killed volunteer soccer referee Ricardo Portillo in Salt Lake City cause good people to quit volun...

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3A boys’ soccer: Fast start propels Park City into title game

Sat, 11 May 2013 10:58:45 MDT

3A boys’ soccer: Fast start propels Park City into title game

By Christopher Kamrani The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 11, 2013 10:58AM MDT

Sandy • Jesse Blais held a white envelope high in the sky over his head as he walked back toward his roaring fans. There the coach stood, a former Park City player and state champion, having made good on his promise to lead his alma mater back among the Class 3A elite. The envelope read: “3A finalists.” That’s where the Park City Miners are now after defeating Desert Hills 2-1 at Jordan High School on Friday afternoon to head to Rio Tinto Stadium to vie for a crown Saturday. And the ride hasn’t ...

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2A boys’ soccer: Manti edges St. Joseph on PKs

Sat, 11 May 2013 00:16:38 MDT

2A boys’ soccer: Manti edges St. Joseph on PKs

By Anthony Cusumano Special to The Tribune

Updated May 11, 2013 12:16AM MDT

Draper • Michael Peterson had dreamed about scoring the winning goal in a soccer game for as long as he can remember. He just didn’t think it would happen during a shootout, let alone in the semifinals of the Class 2A state tournament. Peterson’s dreams became a reality when he booted the winning penalty kick to lift Manti past St. Joseph 4-3 on Friday at Juan Diego. The teams were tied 1-1 after double overtime. “I just wanted to make it, just like in practice,” said Peterson, who admitted it w...

Mourners remember slain ref as good friend, hard worker

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:51:40 MDT

Mourners remember slain ref as good friend, hard worker

By Jim Dalrymple II The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 9, 2013 09:51AM MDT

The mourners huddled in a concrete reception hall Wednesday afternoon, ignoring the snack table and whispering mostly in Spanish about the hard-working mattress company employee whose dream of becoming a famous soccer referee was cut short. A public memorial for Ricardo Portillo, a volunteer soccer ref who died after being punched in the head by a player, drew a crowd of white-shirted mourners to downtown Salt Lake City. Portillo’s family had originally scheduled private services at a Catholic ...

Prep boys soccer: Edgar Estrada offers quiet leadership

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:49:39 MDT

Prep boys soccer: Edgar Estrada offers quiet leadership

By Anthony Cusumano Special to The Tribune

Updated May 8, 2013 04:49PM MDT

Taylorsville’s Edgar Estrada just might be the most unassuming leader there is. Rather than boast about his soccer abilities or acumen in the classroom, the senior is humble about what he has been given. Heck, you’d even have to pry out of him that he has earned a full-ride scholarship to the University of Utah and is the editor of his school paper. “He’s someone who would do whatever you need,” Taylorsville coach George Sirstins said. “He never wants to disappoint you. He’s very quiet and humb...

Public funeral service set for referee felled in soccer match assault

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:19:55 MDT

Public funeral service set for referee felled in soccer match assault

By Jennifer Dobner The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 8, 2013 12:19PM MDT

A soccer referee who suffered a fatal head injury after being assaulted during a match will be memorialized at a public funeral mass on Wednesday — the same day prosecutors are expected to file criminal charges against the 17-year-old boy accused of landing the deadly punch. Services for Ricardo Portillo being with a 1 p.m. viewing at the The Rail Event Center, 235 N. 500 West, followed by a Catholic mass at 7 p.m., Portillo family friend Tony Yapias said. The public is asked to wear white shir...

Monson: Soccer referee’s family wants us to learn — and live

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:05:13 MDT

Monson: Soccer referee’s family wants us to learn — and live

By Gordon Monson Tribune columnist

Updated May 8, 2013 12:05AM MDT

Most of us never knew Ricardo Portillo. From what I’ve read about him, he seemed like a terrific human being. The sad emphasis there on the past tense. And that past tense carries with it an important lesson. He was the father of three daughters, a sportsman, a lover of the beautiful game, a volunteer soccer referee. And when he issued a yellow card on a 17-year-old goalkeeper during a game last week in Taylorsville and wrote the infraction in his notebook, it was the last thing he ever conscio...

Wednesday’s TV/radio programming

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:05:12 MDT

Wednesday’s TV/radio programming

Updated May 8, 2013 12:05AM MDT

Television Hockey • IIHF World Championship, preliminary round, United States vs. Finland, 11 a.m., NBCSN MLB • Atlanta at Cincinnati or Seattle at Pittsburgh, 10:30 a.m., MLB Network • Minnesota at Boston, 5 p.m., ESPN • N.Y. Yankees at Colorado, 6:30 p.m., ROOT NBA • Chicago at Miami, 5 p.m., TNT • Golden State at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m., TNT NHL playoffs • Boston at Toronto, 5 p.m., CNBC • Washington at N.Y. Rangers, 5:30 p.m., NBCSN • Los Angeles at St. Louis, 7:30 p.m., CNBC • Detroit at Ana...

Prosecutors weigh charges against teen accused of fatal punch to referee

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:20:48 MDT

Prosecutors weigh charges against teen accused of fatal punch to referee

By Kimball Bennion The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 8, 2013 12:20PM MDT

Salt Lake County prosecutors on Tuesday are expected to consider whether to file criminal charges against a teenage soccer player accused of punching a referee who died after nearly a week in a coma. Ricardo Portillo, 46, a volunteer referee for La Liga Continental de Fútbol, died Saturday after family removed him from life support. The 17-year-old boy accused of striking Portillo during the April 27 match was arrested two days later and has been held for investigation of aggravated assault ever...