Category Archives: Sports

Highland Park wrestling team

February 2, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Irene Cohen

Image taken from the HPSH Wrestling Instagram page: hp.wrestling

Today I am interviewing Gabe Wright, senior captain of the wrestling team. Gabe has been on the wrestling team for 6 years, and for the entirety of those years he has always been an exceptional athlete. Today he will be updating us on how the HPSH wrestling team has been doing in this 2022-2023 season.

Interviewer: So Gabe, how are you doing today?

Gabe: I am doing so swell and peachy today, thank you for asking!

Interviewer: Wonderful! Can you tell us how this season has been going in general so far?

Gabe: It’s been very good, on an individual and team level.

Interviewer: And how many teammates do you have this year?

Gabe: Around 30 of us show up to practice consistently.

Interviewer: How have the meets been going against other schools so far?

Gabe: Very good; our record has us set to be the conference champs this season.

Interviewer: And how is the team morale doing because of that?

Gabe: Very high; we’re all very proud of ourselves and motivated to work even harder.

Interviewer: How often do you have these practices?

Gabe: We usually do about 5-6 practices per week; we train different areas throughout the practice.

Interviewer: It sounds like the wrestling team is thriving this year, I’m glad your senior season is going so well!

Gabe: So am I, thank you for having me!

So, there you have it folks. Another Highland Park team absolutely thriving this season.

Note: This interview was conducted before the conference final, and Gabe was right, they did win the conference.

Football

This year’s most disappointing NFL teams

January 30, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line 1 Comment

By: Toby Martin-Kohls

All stats from this article were from Pro Fooball Reference and Sportrac. You can find more information here and here.

Every year in the NFL, each of the 32 teams has expectations, and their performances fall into three categoried: They perform better than expected, do about as well as predicted, or disappoint.

However, doing poorly doesn’t just qualify a team as a disappointment. For example, the Bears are one of the worst teams in the NFL, but nobody expected them to be a playoff team in the first place. They traded away a lot of star talent such as Roquan Smith for future draft picks, and Justin Fields looks to be making some promising steps.

Here are three teams that have not lived up to expectations this season.

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams were fresh off a Super Bowl victory and even though there were key losses such as WR Odell Beckham Jr. and LB Von Miller, they were still expected to be contenders. According to Pro Football Reference, the Rams were tied for the fourth highest Super Bowl odds according to oddsmakers, only to completely collapse with little hope for the future.

In just one year, the Rams offense went from 7th in the league in scoring averaging 27.1 points per game to this year’s abysmal 26th ranked scoring team, averaging a mere 18.7 points per game. Of course, injuries played a critical role, with key posiiton players such as: Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald all missing time.

But the biggest issue offensively had been the revolving door of offensive lineman. The Rams became the first team in the Super Bowl era to use a different starting five in each of their first nine games. This was on top of an already patchy unit that had lost starting LT Andrew Whitworth to retirement after last year’s Super Bowl run. Matthew Stafford also saw a regression from his previous seasons stats before he got injured.

Defensively, losing Von Miller to free agency was brutal for the Rams. Without a dominant edge rusher opposite Aaron Donald, this unit was average defending the pass, and Jalen Ramsey’s less than stellar play caused him to miss the Pro Bowl for the first time since his rookie season back in 2016.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

According to Pro Football Reference, only three teams had better preseason odds than the Rams to win the Super Bowl. Two of them are very much at the top of their game right now, but another team stands out with the Rams.

As the season started, things looked promising for the Bucs. They jumped out to a 2-0 start, but things fell apart quickly. They then lost five of the next six, and squeaked into the playoffs with a losing record.

In 2021, they were 2nd in the league in scoring, averaging 30.1 points per game. Fast forward to this season and they are 25th in scoring, averaging 18.4 points per game. If it wasn’t for their solid defense, this team would have been even worse off. So, how did they fall off offensively?

Coaching makes a big difference. In a stunning move, head coach Bruce Arians retired during the 2022 offseason. But the biggest problem was the offensive line. It’s become clear that the loss of key interior personnel has crushed this teams ability to run.

In 2021, the Bucs possessed 3 Pro Bowlers on their offensive line, OT Tristan Wirfs, OG Ali Marpet, and C Ryan Jensen. Ali Marpet surprisingly retired after last season at the age of 28 and Ryan Jensen tore his ACL in training camp before the season even started. So, take away two Pro Bowlers and throw in a bunch of injuries and what you get is the worst rush offense in the NFL, according to stats on Pro Football Reference. This consequently negatively affects the passing game.

Because of that, Brady has often looked out of rhythm. Also, with the loss of TE Rob Gronkowski to retirement, it’s clear that this offense lacks any sort of punch. The team as a whole looks flat on a consistent basis. Who would have thought that a regular season matchup between future hall of farmers, Aaron Rodgers and Brady would come up with a score of 14-12 on September 24.

The Bucs were dominated by the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 in the first round of the NFL Playoffs.

Green Bay Packers

In the recent history of the NFC North, the Packers have reigned supreme over the division, winning 8 division titles since 2011, including the last 3 before this season. This year they finished 3rd in the division, which was a surprise considering they were supposed to be one of the best teams in the NFC. They even got beat out by the 9-8 Lions who were supposed to finish near the bottom of the standings.

Since Matt LeFleur took over in 2019, Green Bay’s defense has ranged from league average, to above average, with their weakest season coming this year, and offensively what made them elite in the past was all the brilliant production with the lack of turnovers. That all changed this season, with QB Aaron Rodgers throwing double digit interceptions for the first time since 2010.

It was always known that once Davante Adams was traded, this offense was going to be in a bit of a transitional phase, but now it is evident that it was tougher than expected. Not only did Ridgers not play well this season, but the chemistry between him and his young receiving core has perhaps been the biggest obstacle this season. The Packers also have been one of the most penelized teams in the league this season.

With Rodgers signing a 3-year, 150 million dollar contract ahead of this season, it’s hard to see how the Packers will be competitive in the coming years with the salary cap. According to Sportrac, the Packers are currently projected to be $14 million over the cap for 2023.

Basketball, Gymnastics, Hockey, Nordic Skiing, Scoreboard/Schedule, Swimming & Diving, Wrestling

Sports schedule for: Jan 30-Feb 4

January 30, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: JANUARY 30 – FEBRUARY 4
MONDAY	JANUARY 30
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
*6:00pm*		*Girls Varsity Basketball vs.* *Christ Household of Faith*	*HOME*
TUESDAY	JANUARY 31
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
3:45pm	2:20pm \| 5:15pm	Nordic Ski Race	Como Golf Course
*4:15pm / 4:15pm* *6:00pm*		*Boys Basketball vs. Park*	*HOME*
7:00pm	5:00pm \| 8:45pm	Boys Varsity Hockey vs. Minneapolis	Minneapolis Ice Garden
5:00pm / 7:00pm		Girls Hockey vs. Chisago Lakes	Chisago Lakes Arena
WEDNESDAY	FEBRUARY 1
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
*5:00pm / 7:00pm*		*Boys Hockey vs. South St. Paul*	*Charles M. Schulz –* *Highland Arena*
*5:00pm*		*Wrestling vs.* *Benilde St. Margaret’s and Central*	*HOME*
5:30pm / 7:00pm	4:45pm \| 8:00pm	Girls Varsity Basketball vs. SPA/Visitation	St. Paul Academy
6:00pm		Gymnastics Twin Cities Meet	North Star
THURSDAY	FEBRUARY 2
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
*4:15pm / 6:00pm*		*Girls Basketball vs. North St. Paul*	*HOME*
5:00pm	5:30pm \| 8:30pm	Boys Swimming and Diving vs. Central	Humboldt High School
FRIDAY	FEBRUARY 3
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
*4:15pm / 4:15pm* *6:00pm*		*Boys Basketball vs. Como Park*	*HOME*
5:00pm / 7:00pm		Girls Hockey vs. Hopkins	Minnetonka High School
SATURDAY	FEBRUARY 4
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
9:00am	7:00am \| 4:00pm	Wrestling Twin Cities Tournament	Como Park High School

Sports

Forgotten legends in 5 different sports

January 27, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Dylan Moore

Hockey: Theo Fleury
Theo Fleury is undeniable. The 5’ 6” French Canadian played with a knack for the net and tenacity rivaled by few.

Given his unceremonious end to his career and his drug problems, the NHL has mostly steered clear of Fleury. But his 7 All-Star appearances, 455 goals and 1088 points in 1084 games make him hard to ignore, even as decades pass since his career has ended.

To make it simple, 15 players managed to average over a point per game in both the regular season and the playoffs. 14 of them are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and then there is Theo Fleury. The 1989 Stanley Cup winner’s Hall of Fame introduction is long overdue.

Baseball: Tony Oliva

The lifelong Minnesota Twin was just inducted into the Hall of Fame this past year. While that is great and shows he isn’t as forgotten as some may think, do not let this distract you from the fact that it took over 40 years for him to be inducted.

While never the best player on loaded Twins teams (hall of farmers Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew made sure of that), Oliva’s impact on the Twins’s success was second to none. The 3 time batting champion was as consistent as it got, and his gold glove and 8 All Star appearances held up his career enough so he could be re-recognized all these years later.

Football: Fran Tarkenton

Continuing with the hometown heroes of the distant past, Vikings QB Fran Tarkenton is the next player on this list. While he is a long-time Hall of Famer, his impact has been largely forgotten. Not only did he hold just about every passing record a QB could for a decade after he retired, he also invented scrambling. For those who don’t know, scrambling is moving around in the pocket to evade defenders, and occasionally leaving the pocket to gain yards by running. This is something previously believed to be undoable by a QB before Tarkenton.

45 years after his retirement, the Vikings legend seems to have left the minds of NFL fans worldwide.

Basketball: Moses Malone

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Moses Malone. All of these players have one thing in common: 3 or more NBA MVPs. What differentiates Malone from the rest is simply recognition.

Even though Russell and Chamberlain played multiple decades before “The Chairman of the Boards,” they are both consensus top 10 players in every NBA fans mind, while Malone might not make the top 20. While he only won 1 ring, his scoring numbers, All Star appearances and NBA trophies make just about every player in today’s game jealous.

Even though there are plenty that get far more recognition in any all time debates than “Big Mo.” Moses deserves much more respect.

Soccer: Ronald Koeman

While there is no hall of fame for the biggest sport in the world, that hasn’t stopped Ronald Koeman from being snubbed far too many times. The center back had a whopping 193 goals in only 533 career matches at club level (reminder: he was a defender).

While still recognized by most as an all-time great in this position, his career, combined with his goal scoring record, goes far under the radar. The fabulous Dutch defender needs to be discussed by soccer superfans far more than he is.

While not all of these players are fully “forgotten,” it seems their career achievements certainly are. There are so many greats in all the sports discussed today, yet so many get disrespected and downright ignored when it comes to discussing legends of the game. I hope my article today reminded you how talented these individuals were and are.

Swimming & Diving

Teri McKeever investigation

January 25, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Mia David

In May of 2022, the University of California- Berkeley started an ongoing investigation, and coach Teri McKeever was sent on administrative leave. McKeever is under investigation for verbal and emotional abuse and promoting a toxic culture on the University of California- Berkeley women’s swim team.

A report from the Orange County Register was published with interviews from 19 female swimmers, 1 swimmer from the men’s team, and 6 parents. The report claimed that she has been abusing swimmers for decades now.

Teri McKeever is known as the first female to be the head coach of an Olympic team in the 2012 London Olympics. She has coached the Cal team to 4 NCAA championships and has won the Pac-12 coach of the year award 9 times.

The investigation has lasted longer than anyone expected it to. The athletic director at Berkeley released a statement when the investigation started saying it should last no more than 6 months. However, the investigation has lasted almost 9 months at this point.

McKeever’s lawyer has raised the question of whether or not Dave Burden (Berkeley’s head coach for the men’s team) also acts the way McKeever is being accused of acting. He has claimed that McKeever’s coaching offended people because she is a woman, and they expect her to be more kind and motherly than a men’s coach.

According to Swim Swam News, when asked about the name-calling and bullying of swimmers, McKeever’s lawyer claimed they misunderstood what she was saying.

Over the past couple of months, multiple former swimmers and coaches have sent letters to Berkeley to support Teri McKeever. Many coaches have expressed that this is simply gender bias and that the girls targeting McKeever are looking for attention.

According to Swim Swam News, a former coach from Princeton, Susan Teeter, said, “As a women’s coach, I have seen years of immature athletes who take on the role of ‘mean girls’ and become toxic and hateful, which is what I believe we have on our hands right now.”

People have expressed that the problem is not McKeever, but it is, in fact, an administrative problem. It is unlikely that Berkeley will address an administrative issue right now. Still, they have hired a law firm to investigate McKeever. Dave Durden has been coaching the men’s team but has overtaken both teams in McKeever’s absence.

Basketball, Dance Line, Gymnastics, Hockey, Nordic Skiing, Scoreboard/Schedule, Swimming & Diving, Wrestling

Sports schedule for: Jan 23-28

January 23, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 28
MONDAY	JANUARY 23
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION

TUESDAY	JANUARY 24
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
3:45pm	2:20pm / 5:15pm	JV Nordic Ski	Como Golf Course
*4:15pm / 4:15pm* *6:00pm*		*Boys Basketball vs. Central*	*HOME*
5:00pm / 7:00pm	JV: 3:30pm V: 5:15pm/ 8:45pm	Boys Hockey vs. Kennedy	Bloomington Ice Garden
5:00pm / 7:00pm		Girls Hockey vs. South St. Paul	Doug Woog Arena
5:30pm / 7:00pm	4:30pm / 8:15pm	Girls Basketball vs. Central	Central High School
WEDNESDAY	JANUARY 25
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
5:00pm	3:30pm / 6:30pm	Wrestling vs. Harding	Harding High School
*6:00pm*		*Gymnastics vs. Central / Como / OWL*	*HOME*
7:00pm		Boys Swimming vs. MPLS South	TBD
THURSDAY	JANUARY 26
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
*4:15pm / 4:15pm* *6:00pm*		*Boys Basketball vs. Washington*	*HOME*
5:30pm / 7:00pm	4:30pm / 8:15pm	Girls Basketball vs. Washington	Washington Technology Magnet
FRIDAY	JANUARY 27
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
10:30am / 11:00am	7:30am / 3:15pm	Nordic Ski Conference Championships	Theodore Wirth Park
7:00pm	5:30pm / 8:30pm	Boys Swimming and Diving vs. Central and Como Park	Humboldt High School
SATURDAY	JANUARY 28
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
TBD		Dance Invitational	Blaine High School
TBD		Girls Hockey vs. Visitation	St. Thomas Academy
10:00am	7:00am / 4:00pm	Wrestling Invitational	Roseville High School
*5:00pm / 7:00pm*		*Boys Hockey vs. Simley*	*Charles M Schulz* *Highland Arena*

Alpine Skiing, Travel/Food

Reviewing different ski hills in Minnesota

January 18, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Ann McMullen

Although Minnesota does not have any true mountains, the hilly terrain of primarily the east half of the state makes for great alpine skiing. These hills, combined with the massive amount of snow we get that seems to last for half the year, make skiing a popular winter activity. In fact, there are so many ski hills in the state that it can be hard to choose one to go to. If you’re wondering where you should ski…look no further than this article.

The closest major hill to the Cities is probably Buck Hill, located in Burnsville. There isn’t much variety in their runs, and it’s all condensed into quite a small area. That being said, a huge amount of olympic medalists grew up skiing at Buck Hill, so they must be doing something right! I’d say Buck is a great place to try out skiing, and if you enjoy it, you can eventually go to a bigger, steeper hill.

Afton Alps is arguably the most popular ski hill in the state, located about half an hour east of the Twin Cities. It’s definitely popular for a reason. It’s in a pretty area, has 17 chairlifts, and even a hilltop chalet! However, Afton can get really, really busy. It’s good skiing, for sure, but you’ll probably spend more time waiting in lift lines than actually going down the hill.

Lutsen Mountains is the closest thing to a real mountain skiing experience that the state offers. This resort is located in the town of Lutsen on beautiful Lake Superior, about twenty minutes south of Grand Marais. There are four unique “mountains” with different types of terrain, allowing anyone from beginners to experts to find something they can enjoy. In addition to the great skiing, Lutsen offers a variety of fun activities in the off-season. Their gondola still runs in the summer to provide beautiful tours of the mountains, and an alpine slide is available to ride down the steepest of their four hills.

If you’re looking for beautiful views like those in Lutsen but don’t want to drive the four hours, look no further than Spirit Mountain in Duluth — essentially halfway between the Cities and Lutsen. At Spirit, you can expect to see Lake Superior, as well as cool views of Duluth itself. The only real downside of Spirit is how small it is. If size is what you’re looking for, I wouldn’t recommend it. Otherwise, it’s great! I also feel inclined to share that they have an alpine roller coaster open in the summer, that winds through a forest and provides beautiful views of the lake. And, get this — you can even control your speed!

And finally, my personal favorite: Welch Village. I may be a bit biased because I grew up coming here nearly every winter weekend, but this hill — just under an hour south of the Cities — has a lot to offer. I wouldn’t call Welch a “hidden gem,” but it’s definitely overshadowed by Afton. That being said, Welch isn’t nearly as busy as Afton — there are rarely long lines for the lifts and you’re sure to be able to find a spot to sit in one of their two chalets.

I hope this helped you see how much downhill skiing Minnesota has to offer. See you on the hill!

Basketball, Gymnastics, Hockey, Nordic Skiing, Scoreboard/Schedule, Swimming & Diving, Wrestling

Sports schedule for: Jan 16-21

January 17, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 21
MONDAY	JANUARY 16
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
*11:00am / 1:00pm*		*Boys Hockey vs. Armstrong*	*Charles M. Schulz* *Highland Ice Arena*
TUESDAY	JANUARY 17
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
5:45pm / 7:30pm		Girls Hockey vs. Rochester Century	Rochester Rec Center
WEDNESDAY	JANUARY 18
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
3:45pm	2:10pm / 5:15pm	Nordic Ski Race	Hyland Hills Ski Area
4:00pm / 5:30pm 7:00pm	JV/C: 3:15pm V: 5:45pm/8:45pm	Boys Basketball vs. Humboldt	Humboldt High School
*4:15pm / 6:00pm*		*Girls Basketball vs. Humboldt*	*HOME*
*5:00pm / 7:00pm*		*Boys Hockey vs. Holy Angels*	*Charles M. Schulz* *Highland Ice Arena*
THURSDAY	JANUARY 19
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
5:00pm	3:30pm / 6:30pm	Wrestling vs. Humboldt	Humboldt High School
*5:00pm / 7:00pm*		*Boys Hockey vs. Southwest Christian*	*Charles M. Schulz* *Highland Ice Arena*
FRIDAY	JANUARY 20
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
*4:15pm / 6:00pm*		*Girls Basketball vs. Harding*	*HOME*
*5:00pm / 7:00pm*		*Girls Hockey vs. Simley*	*WSP Ice Arena*
5:30pm / 5:30pm 7:00pm	JV/C: 4:30pm V: 5:45pm/8:45pm	Boys Basketball vs. Harding	Harding High School
7:00pm		Boys Swimming and Diving vs. Johnson	Humboldt High School
SATURDAY	JANUARY 21
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
TBD		Dance Invitational	St. Michael Albertville High School
10:00am		Gymnastics Invitational	Park High School
5:15pm / 7:00pm		Girls Hockey vs. Princeton	Princeton Ice Arena

Getting To Know/History, Sports

The story of the Kyalami Driver’s Strike of 1982

January 16, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Jocelyn Knorr

The year is 1982. Apartheid is still reigning with an ugly, iron fist across South Africa; ironically, a song by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder called “Ebony and Ivory” is #4 on Billboard’s Top 100 list. And Formula One has come to Kyalami, carrying the sort of spectacle usually reserved for Roman coliseums.

But, let’s back up a bit. Austrian driver Niki Lauda, recently returned to the sport after a crash and injury took off half his face, was going over his Super License contract preseason when he found a clause or two that troubled him. For one, it forbade criticizing FISA (the forerunner to our current FIA—coincidentally run by the exact same money-hungry pack of Neanderthals) and disallowing drivers from entering negotiations with teams themselves. This was the thing that got Lauda hot under the collar; it would have crippled the drivers’ autonomy and, in his mind, would end in them being shunted from team to team, racing for the highest bidder. He fought it incessantly, but to no avail.

As the day of the South African Grand Prix drew closer, all solutions to the issue failed. The drivers sent their attorneys to meet with FISA’s president, Jean-Marie Balestre; Balestre refused to play ball, saying “Sign it or you’re out.”

So, Lauda hatched a plan with his friend and teammate Didier Pironi. The Thursday that practice was meant to start, Pironi and Lauda arranged for a bus to meet them at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. Lauda herded the drivers on—most of them, outraged by the new, restricting terms, went willingly—and Pironi stayed behind to negotiate. The other two who stayed behind were Brian Henton (who didn’t have a guaranteed spot for next year and had decided to see if something would come up) and Jochen Mass (who had opted to sleep in and turned up late, most likely extremely confused).

The striking drivers spent a sun-soaked but nervous day by the pool, drinking and chatting; someone even started up a game of volleyball. Lauda was practically tied to the telephone—Pironi kept him updated periodically. However, the messages did not bring good tidings, and they were incredibly inconsistent. One moment, there would be no consequences for participating in the strike, another moment Brabham team boss, Bernie Ecclestone, had fired his drivers. One moment, Kyalami was going to impound the cars if racing didn’t start within the hour, but another the race was being pushed back a week. The striking drivers were even threatened with a lifetime ban from the sport. Despite FISA’s threats, they held firm. Lauda assured everyone that “[it was] all hot air—where [were] they going to get 30 or so drivers capable of handling supercharged F1 cars?”

When night came, Lauda—figuring that everyone sharing a room would preserve the sense of camaraderie and prevent anyone from bolting, something that almost worked—commandeered a conference room and several mattresses. They barricaded themselves in with a grand piano and bunked down for the night. Elio de Angelis and Giles Villeneuve made good use of the piano, Niki Lauda did some stand-up comedy, and Bruno Giacomelli gave a “rather amusing” lecture, complete with cartoons, about domestic terrorism in Italy—after all, who knew how this would end?

Throughout all of it, Pironi ferried messages back and forth from FISA and the bosses to the drivers, Villeneuve punctuating every dispatch from the front with the opening chords of Beethoven’s Fifth. This time, things were looking up; Balestre—difficult at the best of times—was still resistant to amending the terms of the Super License. However, he had suggested that if the drivers came back, they would agree to a temporary truce.

As the drivers slept, Admin conferred. Armed with information from Teo Fabi—unwilling to risk his F1 debut, he’d scarpered out the bathroom window—they called up the drivers. They capitulated; if the drivers came back they could guarantee that there would be no punishment conferred upon them—for now.

Everyone who struck was permitted by FISA to drive, (except for Patrick Tambay, who’d quit on the spot, disgusted by FISA’s actions—Henton’s “just hanging around” tactic worked out for him after all) but Bernie Ecclestone had other ideas. He disallowed reigning champion Nelson Piquet from driving in Friday practice, claiming he was “tired.” Piquet was later cleared by a medical examiner, and Ecclestone had to allow him to qualify and race in the actual Grand Prix.

However, it wasn’t over yet. The very moment the checkered flag fell in Kyalami, the FISA declared that the amnesty had expired; all the drivers were suspended from racing indefinitely. There was a protracted court battle, delaying several Grands Prix, but ultimately the drivers won. Lauda’s scheming had paid off; though they eventually had to sign unaltered Super Licenses, there was never any punishments for drivers bad-mouthing FISA or negotiating with teams personally.

While contemporary newspapers portrayed it as nothing more than a political spat, many of the drivers actually enjoyed the experience. Villeneuve in particular described it as “the best night of his life.” The photographs taken of the strike show not 30 elite athletes, but 30 men, enjoying a boy’s night out, however odd the circumstances were at the time. The Kyalami Driver’s Strike brought the drivers of the grid of 1982 closer than any grid had ever been before, or will be since.

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Soccer

An incredible finish to the tournament, which had a deserved ending for two top players

January 13, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Aeden Evenson-McDermott

Following the semifinal clash between Argentina and Croatia on December 13, Croatia would set their eyes on a piece of silverware to end the tournament with. This would be the 3rd place bronze medal.

On December 14, Morocco faced France and lost which matched them up to play Croatia for the third place game. It would ultimately be a rematch from the first group stage game as they tied 0-0 towards the beginning of the World Cup.

A big hats off to Morocco on being the first African team to make it this far in a World Cup. Most counted Croatia out before the tournament started but they once again persevered and showed they could medal in back to back World Cups.

On Saturday, December 17, the stage was set for a showdown at the Khalifa International Stadium which would compose itself of 44,000+ supporters in attendance.

It would kick off with the 10 first minutes being an absolute drama to see. A free kick early for the Croats had Modrić fake the kick with Majer following up to swing the ball over the top to Perišić who cocked his neck which headed it furthermore to the outstretched rising star and young talent center back, Joško Gvardiol, who would perfectly connect the force of the ball into the back of the net.

1-0 to Croatia! The lead wouldn’t last for long as Morocco would respond when the deflected ball went through the defenders and fell into Archaf Dari’s path and he headed it through the hands of Croatian goalkeeper Livaković. 1-1 and it was a game!

Later on though, in the first half, just before halftime, Croatia’s Mislav Orsić had an incredible first touch kick that was chipped over the keeper and dinked off the inner near post of the goal and it to the net. 2-1 to the Croatians!

The rest of the second half would be less entertaining with both sides each exchanging posessional turns but none resulting in a score. It was dramatic at times with both sides holding their breaths as each took chances on the counter attacks along the wings.

At the end of the 90 minutes of regulation, Croatia’s World Cup dreams would be fulfilled. They didn’t ultimately get first or second place like their World Cup in 2018, but they have much to be proud of. Modrić, who’s 37, is likely going to retire from international duty within the next year, so it was a nice send off for him as he has done so much for the team and country.

After Argentina beat Croatia and France beat Morocco their sights would be set on the ultimate prize. The World Cup trophy! The trophy touched by greats but revered for all could be Messi’s or it could be Mbappé’s. Who would achieve greater success?

The first half kicked off with Argentina being the more dominant side and exposing the French team near the goal. In the 23rd minute, Argentina’s Lionel Messi would convert the early penalty to give the Argentines the early lead. 1-0!

A little bit later, a second goal would be added as Angel Dí Maria would slot his goal and make it 2-0 Argentina. The excitefulness quieted down a bit but Argentina still remained in the driver’s seat.

France would show more quality as they picked up chances along the stretch. It would all turn in their favor when in the 80th minute, Mbappé would discreetly put the ball just through Martinez’s hands and into the net. 2-1.

The craziest turn of events would only be beginning and a minute later, Mbappé found himself on the end of another immaculate ball whipped in, and which he would convert through a sideways bicycle kick and into the back of the net! 2-2 and all was tied up.

This would prompt an additional 30 minutes of extra time at the end of the regulation 90 minutes. An early shout for a penalty, into extra time, on the edge of the box had many raising their eyebrows as to why that wasn’t a penalty for France?

Furthermore, Argentina would scramble down the field and Messi would score another decisive goal in the 108th minute to give Argentina the 3-2 advantage. If you didn’t think that put the nail in the coffin, you were in for a treat!

France wouldn’t go down without a fight and Mbappé would bag a hat trick of goals, when he bagged the third one, which again was another penalty in the 118th minute of extra time!

Now, since it was 3-3, and it would be the end of the 120 minutes total, it would be going to penalties!

Messi and Mbappé would each convert their first penalties of the shootout. Dybala of Argentina would convert his while Coman of France would miss his. This followed by Paredes scoring his and Tchouameni missing his. Muani of France would make his to keep his team alive but seconds later Montiel of Argentina would rise to the occasion and ultimately seal the fate of France, thus Argentina winning the World Cup!

A deep breath and sigh of relief after such an intense final match!

Messi is the GOAT and certainly deserves this after the incredible career he’s had. His brilliance never disappoints and alway shows how he has so much to prove and still has gas left in the tank for his aging legs.

Back to back medals for Croatia and France and a third World Cup trophy in the books for Argentina!

In terms of the play at The Qatar World Cup, it certainly didn’t disappoint. I would make the case that this was the best World Cup final ever, although I wouldn’t say it was the best World Cup.

Congrats to all the teams on making it a memorable World Cup to watch, and here’s to a good World Cup in North America in 2026, and it remains to be seen after that (the 2030 World Cup has yet to be announced).

With the World Cup coverage now ended, more articles will be coming out on transfers and the resuming of club football!