Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/31/15
Well, we have finally reached the last day of the year. People will gather to ring in the new year. I'm just happy to be at the end of those "year in review" stories and excited to be going into all the soccer activity happening in January. Let's wish midfielder Darwin Ceren a happy 26th birthday and get right to the links, Mane Landers.
Nutmegs for Everybody!
We start our links with some nutmegs. I’m not exactly sure who came up with the term, but it takes skill with a little bit of luck to pull a soccer ball through a defending opponent’s legs. The folks over at MLSsoccer.com counted down the top five nutmegs of the season. Orlando City’s own Cyle Larin got an honorable mention, and the top spot went to Sebastian Giovinco with a sweet double-nutmeg.
Another story on the nutmeg front involves David Beckham. It seems Becks was featured in the documentary For the Love of the Game, where he traveled around the globe playing soccer with the masses. He was playing with some children in Papua, New Guinea, where the camera crew recorded him nutmegging a kid that just wanted the ball.
Recaps for Everybody!
I know I said I was happy to see the end of "year in review" stories, but come on, it's the last day of the year! What else do you expect me to link? We start with the NWSL loan roundup. Orlando Pride forward Jasmyne Spencer scored the game winner in her match. I'm really excited to see the Pride playing on the pitch in Orlando. This time next year, we'll have the team included in our end-of-year recaps. The Equalizer put together its NWSL 2015 recap, which highlights the great level of play that we'll be able to see at the Citrus Bowl. The third recap comes from MLSsoccer.com; they breakdown the highs and lows of American exports from 2015. As you can imagine, the good was very good, but the bad are real stinkers.
FIFA Officials Get More Bad news
If you're a corrupt FIFA official, 2015 meant that you might have spent some time behind bars or under investigation. Well, things have gone from bad to worse, because the Associated Press reported yesterday that Swiss authorities have now given their evidence to the American authorities. I'm sure this evidence will only strengthen the cases against those involved in corrupt practices within FIFA.
Those Off-season Workouts
Orlando soccer players will soon be reporting for preseason training camps. While league rules are specific on when teams can begin training with players and coaches, this doesn't mean players can't get back into shape on their own. Here's another impressive workout from Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris in Melbourne.
Hand eye coordination w core work @ashlynharris24
A video posted by Parisi Speed School XPC (@parisixpc) on
And then there's Lions' All-Star midfielder, Kaká.
To each their own. I know one of my New Year's resolutions is going to be to get into better shape. I hope everyone has a safe New Year's Eve celebration. We'll see you in 2016, Mane Landers. Keep Roaring!!