US pull off miracle in Mexico City

The United States soccer team had never won in Mexico City, NEVER. In 75 years of competition the Americans did not win a single match in the Estadio Azteca, that was until last night.

With some well timed subs by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann the US came away with the 1-0 victory. The loss left the Mexican squad in disarray when they should have been celebrating their Olympic gold medal.


For most of the contest the US fended off repeated attempts from a determined Mexican squad looking to keep the momentum going from last week's victory in London. However, as the time ticked on a draw became more and more likely.

In the 80th minute though American Michael Orozco Fiscal received a back heel pass from Terrence Boyd and put it in the net to give the US a 1-0 lead. An attacking Brek Shea set up the goal with a nifty cross to Boyd after making his way past the Mexican defense. Shea, who entered the match in the 78th minute, was making his first appearance since returning after six months away from the team. 

Fiscal, who plays for the Mexican club San Luis, came into the game as a defender and scored his first goal in international play.

Mexico honored there Olympic gold medalists during the half, but the positive energy surrounding Estadio Azteca did not help them get the ball past US goalie Tim Howard.  Howard saved the game for his team with a pair of spectacular saves late in the match.

During the 89th minute Howard made a diving stop on a shot by Mexico's Chicharito keep the ball out of the net. Howard was on his game all night, and his play helped the US get their biggest win of 2012.

Now with wins in Italy and Mexico the US squad is starting to get noticed in the FIFA world, and for Klinsmann it comes as further validation that his unique defense is working. It is also a hopeful sign for future success in the 2014 World Cup in Rio. 

With day one coming to a close it sets in just how many events are a part of the 2012 Olympic games. Everything from handball to swimming was on display today, including beach volleyball which was played in very unbeach like conditions. It was a brisk 55 degrees in London tonight forcing the women to wear long sleeves during their matches.

Still every four years there are sports and athletes noticeably absent from the games. Softball and baseball, which were cut recently, headline a long and growing list of sports trying to make the Olympic program.

As a die hard fan and player I strongly believe that Ultimate Frisbee is nearing a point internationally where it deserves some serious consideration. Prior NLS stories on the  World Ultimate and Guts Championship showcase how much the sport has grown, and the high level of international competition.

Other sports deserving of consideration by the IOC are skateboarding, motocross and those made popular by ESPN's X-Games. Anyone who has watched the annual event featuring the best in the world from action sports knows that these athletes are Olympic caliber.

Also, if the IOC is looking to appeal the next generation of fans, including action sports would be a step in the right direction. BMX gained entry in 2008, and is an example of the popularity of action sports around the world.

The Winter Olympics got the message when snowboarding and skiing half pipe were made a part of the program. Now it is time to open the door to skateboarding and BMX park and vert.

There are some sports that have made the cut. Rugby for example, isn't a part of this years games either, but is scheduled to appear in Brazil in 2016

My message to the IOC is to lighten up, and catch up with the times. If synchronized swimming is in why not give some more exciting sports a chance.

Making just its second appearance at the Olympic games, BMX is the most recent discipline to be included as a part of the Olympic schedule.

Inspired by motocross BMX started in the 1960s in California and quickly grew in popularity not only in the US but internationally as well.

BMX takes place on a short track covered in jumps, hairpin turns and obstacles that elite riders must overcome in order to be successful. At the start of each race the eight competitors take off from an 8 meter high ramp and must keep up a blistering pace as races last around 40 seconds.

The young cycling sport debuted during the Beijing 2008 games, and despite its origins the Americans failed to claim gold. The first gold medals in BMX went to Latvian rider Maris Strombergs and  France's Ann Caroline-Chaussen.

Races begin on Wednesday August 8 with both a men's and women's seeding phase during which the riders will run the course once to determine their seed for the following races. After seeding, the women move right to the semi-finals, and the men begin the quarterfinals.

The men's quarterfinals consist of five races with points earned based on the position a rider finishes in. The top two finishers from each run advance to the semis. During the men's and women's semi-finals the top four riders from the three runs move on for a chance at Olympic gold.

NLS readers be sure to tune in, as this could be one of the most exciting events. BMX makes the inclusion of other extreme sports like skateboarding a real possibility. Maybe before long sports common in the XGames will have a chance to shine on the Olympic stage.

Ultimate Terms:

There are a variety of different passes used in Ultimate, but the two commonly seen are "backhand" and "forehand." These are the two most basic throws and are the first any aspiring player should learn.

A "huck" is Ultimate's version of a deep pass in football.

A "Callahan point" occurs when the opposing has its pass intercepted by the defense in the end zone. Resulting in a point for the defense. If you score a callahan point please share it in comments.

"Handlers" are the quarterbacks of Ultimate, and run the offense for their team.

In a "vert" or vertical stack, the offense has three handlers and four receivers who are lined up vertically down the field splitting it in half.

A "Horizontal Stack" has the receivers lined up across the field facing the three handlers.

A "dump pass" can be helpful when there are no options down field, and when the stall count is high.

A "hammer" is one of the more challenging tosses to throw and catch, and is just a forehand throw from over the throwers head. It can be great for some added distance.

"Layouts" or dives are the highlight reel moments for Ultimate, and can be a boost on offense or save a game for the defense.

With USA Ultimate announcing the 2012 High School States Award Winners now seems like a good time to introduce NLS readers to the basic rules of Ultimate.

Rules: Ultimate is played with seven players on the field for each side. The field, slightly smaller than a football field, is 70 yards from one end zone to the other and 40 yards wide. Each end zone however, is 25 yards deep.

To start the game players line up at the front of their own end zone, and the defense pulls or throws the disk. The offense must advance the disk by throwing, and is not allowed to run with it. They score a touchdown by completing a pass in their opponents end zone. 

Similar to a shot clock in basketball the thrower has a 10 second stall count to throw the disk to a teammate. If he is unable to do so in that time it's a turnover, and the defense takes possession. A turn can also occur whenever a pass is incomplete.

What makes Ultimate unique compared to any other sport is that is self-officiated, and players make their own out and foul calls. Spirit of the Game in Ultimate means that while a high level of competitive play is encouraged it should not come at the expense of sportsmanship and respect for one's opponent.

It places responsibility for fair play on the players, and any behavior that goes against the Spirit of the Game, including taunting, intentional fouls and dangerous aggression, are to be avoided by all players.

usaultimate.org has a more detailed list of rules and regulations for Ultimate, and is a great resource for players interested in learning more about the game.

Check the site out for a list of the players who made the All-State team from your state. Congratulations to those players from Geneva and Neuqua Valley who made it on to the Illinois squad.

Next Level Sports now ventures into the world of Red Bull for news on the X-Fighters and their aerial acrobatics from around the world.

Takings to the skies tonight the Red Bull X-Fighters battled it out in Madrid, Spain with Levi Sherwood claiming the title. Sherwood upset local favorite and defending champion Dany Torres by a single point, 87.5-86.5 in the head to head final round. 

Friday's victory was his second of the season, and Sherwood now holds the top spot in the overall standings with 230 points after just three of five events. He won the 2012 X-Fighters opener in Dubai, but has his work cut out for him on August 11 when the X-Fighters roar into Munich's Olympic Stadium.

Todd Potter, the previous leader was unable to compete in the finals in Spain due to an injury he suffered during practice. This coming after a victory in the previous event which was held in San Bernadino, Cali. With the option to have his lowest score dropped Potter is by no means out of the hunt. 

He sits five points behind second place Chilean rider Javier Villegas who is 80 points behind Sherwood.

Looking ahead to the final event in October fans can expect more of the same high flying tricks and action that they saw tonight.

Red Bull sponsors some of the biggest events in action sports, and the X-Fighters are no exception. The riders allow fans to get a taste of freestyle action even when the X-Games are not around.

Results are in from Sakai, Japan as play concluded on Saturday at the World Ultimate and Guts Championship. After Team USA won gold in the Master's women division the American side looked to claim the gold medal in both the Open and Womens divisions.

Revolver, based out of San Francisco, had no trouble through out the entire tournament dispatching of every opponent in front of them. Going into the quarter finals they were undefeated, and had no trouble getting past Finland with a 17-7 win. Canada made it a challenge in the semis, but Revolver and USA got the win.

The Americans were set to face Great Britain in the final game for the Open title. Once again Revolver proved why they represented USA as they beat the British squad easily 17-5 to claim gold.

Fury, the women's representative for Team USA, faced host Japan in the finals. Having only two losses prior to the semis Fury defeated Canada to earn a spot in the championship game. Japan though was not willing to let the Americans take home a third gold medal, and pulled off the 17-13 victory over USA.

Team USA heads home with a pair of gold medals, a silver and two fourth place finishes at WUGC 2012. Congratulations to the American men and women of Ultimate. Go to the USA Ultimate site for more news and video. The past few days of Ultimate have been fun to follow, and hopefully it won't be long now before it becomes an Olympic sport.

The athleticism, talent and international enthusiasm for the sport are proof enough of just how much it has grown in recent years.