Legal Week Day 4: US DOJ v. Jeffery Webb et al

If I ever forget, anyone out there please remind be never to tick off the US DOJ.

For all interested the DOJ has posted their indictment publicly here. It is 164 pages of really, really, dense, largely technical details of just how deep the rabbit hole goes, so to speak.

I'm not going to go through the indictment other than to say the (14) folks, Jeffery Webb especially as he is here in the US as our guest, are certainly feeling the heat. Also, and this became clear to me when Sepp and Gerome refused (not failed) to come to Canada to present the Women's World Cup trophy, everyone else is hearing footsteps in the evening as folks are afraid to set foot in countries friendly to extradition with the US.

In a supreme act of cowardice however, Issa Hayatou, who while not on the indictment, has been under investigation for corruption charges, was essentially made a canary in a coal mine and pushed out to present the trophy to the US Women's team (under a shower of BOOs) and was no doubt watched by Sepp from his Swiss lair to see if our friends to the north were willing to arrest the man on the spot.

It will not end well for these folks as Webb has had to ransom off his riches to make bail and pay for his own private security when he is awaiting trial. I expect similar fates for the others on the DOJ's list. The NYT has a nice chart here. It's on my wall with a few "X's" through it now.

I actually think the DOJ is playing this well and at the end of the day, we will see Sepp here for a visit as well. Unless he goes all rogue or something ... THAT would be a plot for a real movie from FIFA. Not the $1310 BOMB it just made which is now being called the worst movie in history. I can almost see Sepp in this one ... as the bad guy, little FIFA ring and all.

Let's face it ... it is only a matter of time for Sepp and company now. There is a price to pay however. Has anyone asked why Dan Flynn was on the Hill the other day in front of the Senate and not Sunil Gulati?

Yeah, it may be because he knew in advance what Andrew Jennings was going to say, calling for his resignation. I would hate to think it was because he did not want anything on the record.

Stay tuned.

Champagne for President!!

For any who have not heard Jerome Champagne will challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency in 2015. If he runs again, this would be a 5th term in office Sepp would seek, at age 78.

Mr. Champagne, aside from a fabulous name, has some very interesting ideas about where to take international football next. Many can be seen in this article from the BBC.

One that really caught my eye, was that of an "Orange Card."

Now, let me be clear, the first use of that term I ever heard (and to great effect) was from Herb Silva, the man behind the curtain at US Soccer literally, who has been incredibly influential and effective as making the professional leagues work.

His use, is stunningly different from that of Mr. Champagne, and is that in between card, when you give a yellow and just a bit more, but not quite send the player off. The term has reached such understanding that I have actually said (while holding up a yellow card) ... consider this orange. Trust me the particular player understood.

Now, the use Champagne has in mind is a bit different, but honestly, not bad. I have to give the man credit for actually considering referees in their approach in controlling matches in mind. It is the first time in a while, I have heard a FIFA bobble head actually give a referee some thought.

I look forward to Mr. Champagne's candidacy with great anticipation.

Something smells funny ...

FIFA investigator among Americans barred from Russia in rights dispute

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The chief investigator examining allegations of wrongdoing in soccer including the bidding process for the 2018 World Cup in Russia is one of 18 people on a list of Americans barred from entering Russia over what Moscow says are human rights abuses.

Michael Garcia, a former U.S. federal prosecutor who now works for soccer's world governing body, FIFA, is on the blacklist published by Russia's Foreign Ministry on Saturday after Washington named 18 Russians barred from entering the United States for alleged rights abuses. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Reuters.

Kicking Back Comments: In reading this article it would seem that this is a "tit for tat" move by the Russians as once the US named (18) individuals who were barred from entry for rights abuses, Russia did the same and named (18) to a similar list not allowed entry into Russia for rights abuses.

Garcia's ban would seem to stem from his successful prosecution of an arms dealer (Viktor Bout) who is currently being held in the US on a 25 year term.

That aside (and it is a big aside mind you) I don't know if Russia wants to not allow FIFA's current chief investigator into the country. World Cup 2018 may be on the line for them.

Then again ... maybe that's exactly what they want to do.

Stay tuned as politics reigns supreme once again.

They should have sent a poet ...

How does that go .... truth is better than fiction. File this one there:

Sean Penn given a long to-do list by Bolivian president

LA PAZ, Bolivia — It's not clear whether Sean Penn knew ahead of his visit to Bolivia of the missions he'd be asked to assume by President Evo Morales.

Cabinet chief Juan Ramon Quintana told reporters after Tuesday's meeting that Morales asked the Oscar-winning actor to defend the chewing of coca leaf before the United Nations, lobby Chile to restore Bolivia's long-lost access to the Pacific Ocean and help persuade the United States to extradite a former Bolivian president. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Oregon Live.

Here is some video of the charity match, just for fun, from CBS News.

Kicking Back Comments: Between the story and the pictures, I was struck like Jodi Foster in "Contact" and had so many thoughts running through my head, I knew they should have sent a poet to write this entry. (gag)

This is not a dig at Jodi, or "Contact" which is a great movie, a clip from that particular scene is below, but a testament to silly "charity" events, when there are far more serious things to be concerned about in the world than the legalization of the coca leaf. 

Power Line's Euro 2012 Stars

EURO 2012 — THE TOP STARS

Euro 2012 provided a high quality of play. Only two teams embarrassed themselves — Ireland and Holland. And the Dutch embarrassed themselves by falling far short of their normal standard, not by being objectively bad.

Unfortunately, the European soccer bureaucrats, following Mae West’s view of “too much of good thing” rather than the traditional, correct view, have decided to expand the tournament from 16 to 24 teams. So, the overall quality of play at the Euros will never again be as good as it was this year. Instead, it will probably resemble the mediocre fare served up at the bloated World Cup. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Power Line.

Kicking Back Comments: Power Line continues to do a tremendous job reporting on politics, as well as soccer. Paul Mirengoff in particular would seem to be in clear command of both. I personally would enjoy his commentary on refereeing as well ... and will be looking out of the same.

UEFA's Turn "at bat"

Palestine: FIFA urged to cancel European football tournament in Israel

Palestine football leaders have urged UEFA to remove Israel as the 2013 European Under-21 Championship host nation for jailing Palestinian national team players without trial.

Palestine federation president Jibril Rajoub wrote to UEFA President Michel Platini to say that Israel's government is in "direct violation of FIFA regulations." ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of The Muslim News.

Kicking Back Comments: I would have the same warning for UEFA as I did for FIFA the other day ... be very deliberate if you want to get involved in this one or not.

On another note, I find it interesting (that is to say odd) that as "punishment" for allegedly jailing individuals of a particular citizenship, a soccer tournament is proper to be taken away.

I don't know, even in the extreme, one would seem to far outweigh the other.

Haebous Corpus ... soccer tournament. Not a tough choice, for me anyway.

Be careful FIFA ... Is THIS your fight?

FIFA concerned about detention of Palestine players

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has expressed grave concern over reports that several Palestine players have been illegally detained in Israel.

Blatter had written to the Israel Football Association and asked it to draw the attention of Israeli authorities to the matter, FIFA said in a statement.

“FIFA President Joseph Blatter expressed today grave concern and worry about the alleged illegal detention of Palestine football players,” the statement said. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Al Arabiya news.

Kicking Back Comments: Please let me be clear, my ONLY comment here is FIFA may want to seriously rethink getting involved in this one. I recognize that we are dealing with football players here and FIFA feels the need to get involved. I don't need to say that there is a much wider canvas to this particular issue, well beyond football, and it is my sense based on FIFA's bungling in the past, they should just sit this one out and let the two countries sort it out themselves. They eventually will.

Does Sepp really think, really, any of the involved parties are going to listen to him on this one?

Ego thy name is Sepp.

The Knucklehead Factor

EURO 2012 PREVIEW — THE KNUCKLEHEAD FACTOR

The word knucklehead has enjoyed a revival lately. Even President Obama has used it – to describe people who would take a bullet for him, but who made serious errors of judgment in Colombia.

Usually, though, the term is used by sportswriters to refer to talented players whose immaturity undermines their play and, more importantly, that of their team. Such players – even one of them if he’s central enough – can destroy a team. Just ask the Washington Wizards who in the past few years have labored under the weight of at least four knuckleheads: Gilbert Arenas, Andray Blatche, and (to a lesser degree) Nick Young and JaVale McGee. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of PowerLine.

Kicking Back Comments: Great commentary, from one of my favorite political blogs, with candid commentary on England's "knuckleheads." Great read!!

Les Jeux Sont Faits for the (not so) "Super Committee"

Paul Levy wrote about the recent "super committee" mess in his recent post of Choice: Eat or throw tomatoes. He writes most eloquently what I state here gutturally, these folks are so bogged down in politics and self interest, they are useless in finding a solution. So much so their opportunity to actually do something has passed.

I have no use personally for such lack of action, or political grandstanding from them or POTUS in blaming one side, not leading and blaming both.

I was thinking though, what if referees who were trained to act as needed were put in such a situation. Can you imagine Congress filled with referees? Something certainly would get done ... and probably a number of cautions given along the way and likely an ejection or two. Who would go first I wonder??

Made me think of this commercial from NexTel, which is right on point:

Sunil Gulati an Obama Bundler?

He is not, but I ran across an article form NPR titled,  Report: Obama's Big Money Raisers Get Key Posts, Access, Stimulus Dollars.

Clearly the article is referring in the picture to Donald Gips, the ambassador to South Africa, and Obama mega-bundler. I have to admit surprise though when I saw our president (Mr. Gulati) when I opened the article.

No conspiracy theories this time, just a chuckle.

Photo Courtesy of NPR

Open for debate

Fifa TV Debate: Add Your Support To Campaign

Sky News viewers are being urged to back a campaign for a televised debate between the two candidates for Fifa president.

The current chief of football's world governing body, Sepp Blatter, is still to respond to an invitation to take part in the head-to-head.

He received our invitation 46 days ago, but has yet to give a 'yes' or 'no' - despite growing support for the televised discussion.

When pressed for his answer last Wednesday, a spokesman for the 75-year-old responded by email to say: "We are still in (the) planning process and I will assure you to come back to you shortly." ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Sky News.

Kicking Backs Comments: Well it's not a national football federation that is bringing some pressure, but having Sky News pushing on you is no small thing. I'll bet FIFA is not happy about this one. I'm waiting to hear from @FakeSepp on the matter. I doubt we will here from the real McCoy, unless it's "Bones" McCoy of Star Trek fame.

Bush did it

Credit: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com

Politics aside, I caught this article from The Telegraph where FIFA gives yet another reason why England may not get the 2018 World Cup.

This time ... Wimbledon.

FIFA has stated in their report that:

It is a Fifa requirement that no other major sporting event is hosted in a host city during the event period and the fact that the Wimbledon tennis championships take place in London during late June/early July could have an impact on the public attention given to the Fifa World Cup.

FIFA seems to be trotting every excuse in the book to have some grounds to tell England "no", or at least give the remaining EXCOMM members enough pause to do so. As I wrote the other day, I do not think England will get the 2018 nod, but unfortunately this would be for all the wrong reasons as they are as good a host as any to do so. I would opine one of, if not, the best next to the US, who still to me inexplicably exited early.

Overall however England got a good report. Some would say better than others in the running for 2018.

We will see however, the clock is ticking, and things still do not look great for England as the BBC continues to ready itself to air its FIFA corruption documentary.

US Soccer + Glenn Beck == ??

So as I have said before, I am a bit of a political junkie. To prove this I was cruising the information superhighway the other day and ran across this story about the Glenn Beck rally on Saturday the 28th.

I found the above picture from the article interesting. Look close at the logo on the T-Shirt.

Yep ... its the US Soccer logo.

Please note this is not an invitation for a political debate of any type and I'm not espousing some conspirator theory that US Soccer is funding Glenn Beck or anything of the sort.

I just saw the logo and took note. After all, sometimes a T-shirt, is just a T-shirt.

Hugo Chávez breaks diplomatic ties between Venezuela and Colombia

While not a soccer story per se, I just about fell out of my chair when I saw this picture. Yes, that is sporting legend, and current Argentina Soccer Coach Diego Maradona joking with Hugo Chavez as he announced the severing of ties with Colombia. Yes, the very same press conference.

Let me say no more than I find this an interesting pairing on many levels. Your comments are welcome below.

Diego Maradona and Hugo Chávez share a joke during a press conference in which the Venezuelan president severed ties with Colombia. Photograph: Juan Barreto/AFP/Getty Images

Hugo Chávez severed diplomatic ties with Colombia yesterday after it accused Venezuela of harbouring leftist guerrillas in dozens of camps along the border.

Venezuela's president ordered a "maximum alert" on the border and warned that his Andean neighbour could provoke war. "We have no other choice but, out of dignity, to totally break our relations with our brother nation of Colombia," Chávez told state television.

Colombia had claimed that Venezuela was sheltering 1,500 rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) and the smaller National Liberation Army (ELN), which have waged a decades-long conflict with the Colombian state.

Colombia presented maps, photographs, videos and witness testimony in a presentation at a meeting in Washington of the Organisation of American States, a pan-regional body.

Full story continues here, courtesy of Guardian.co.uk.