Category: Sports

You can’t be a prominent football club in Europe without having some longstanding rivalries, and AS Roma is no exception. In their history which has lasted for more than a century, there are certain teams in Italy that have drawn the ire of Roma fans, making their annual matches mean just a little more.

While some have become rivalries simply because of how many times they’ve met up, there are a couple that are on a personal level between fanbases. Let’s take a look at the five AS Roma rivalries you need to know about, how the club has fared in these matches, and why these clubs in particular have a higher intensity level than others.

ACF Fiorentina

There have only been three teams Roma has played more than Fiorentina, but no rivalry for Roma has been quite as even. It seems that no matter if one team is having a down year, they’ll find a way to pull out one win against the other. That’s why through the first 180 matches of their rivalry, Roma and Fiorentina would end up with 63 draws, and a 64-54 win advantage for Roma.

While each club has a bigger rival, they are two of the longest-playing rivals. Known as the Derby of Central Italy, Fiorentina and Roma started playing each other back in the 1931-32 Serie A season, with Fiorentina getting the first victory. There have only been a couple of embarrassing four-goal blowouts in the rivalry’s history, too, with most of the matches being decided by one goal (if it’s not a draw).

Juventus

While the first rivalry on the list has been slightly in Roma’s favor, the second has actually been an uphill climb. In their first 192 matches, Roma would win 47 and draw 54, with Juventus taking 91 wins. There’s no special name for this rivalry, but fans can tell when the two teams meet up that they tend to play a little faster and tougher to try and establish themselves as the top team.

In the home games for Roma, the club has actually fared quite well with 32 wins and 30 draws compared to just 27 losses. As for their road record, though, it’s a tough one to look at. Through their first 90 matches at Juventus, Roma has come away with just nine wins. Juventus, on the other hand, has gotten 59.

Internazionale

The first time that Roma faced an opponent 200 times was when they met up in the 2021-2022 Serie A season to take on Internazionale. Throughout those first 200 matches, Roma would win 57 times and draw another 57 times while Inter took home 88 victories. Both teams have an edge in their home stadiums, but Inter’s is a larger one at 47-16 compared to 35-29.

When the two clubs meet, there is usually a lot on the line. Seemingly every year, they square off in the Coppa Italia, including several finals matches. In each of those finals, Inter has ended up winning, but it has always been close.

Napoli

There are two clubs who are considered to be the truest rivals of AS Roma, and the first of them is Napoli. The two clubs play each other in the Derby Del Sole (Derby of the Sun) and have met more than 170 times since their first matches all the way back in 1928. Since then, the rivalry has been about as even as you could imagine, with Roma holding 58 wins in the first 164 matches while Napoli has 51, and 55 draws between.

Both teams have exchanged spurts in which both of them were ahead of the other, including in the early 2020s when it seemed that Napoli was incapable of losing to their rival. At the beginning of the 21st century, though, Roma went on a 10-match streak where they didn’t lose to Napoli. The clubs have also almost evenly split in higher Serie A finishes, as well.

Lazio

Anyone that’s familiar with Roma football knew that Lazio would be number one on the list, as the Derby Capitolino is the most intense rivalry in all of Italy, with both teams sharing the capital city. There have been some heated moments throughout the rivalry’s history, including one player losing his life on the pitch for the first time in Italian history as the result of fans being too rambunctious.

Roma fans see Lazio supporters as hateful people from the worst parts of society, especially as there have been Lazio fans bringing anti-semitic apparel to the matches. For those outside of Italy, Roma is certainly seen as “the good guys” in the rivalry, and they have the edge in the overall record. Through their first 167 matches, Roma came away with 61 wins and 60 draws, with just 46 wins on Lazio’s side.

1930 marked the first time when the World Cup brought together the best players from the top countries in football, with host nation Uruguay winning in front of over 68,000 people. Since then, there has been a slew of countries that have hoisted the World Cup trophy, with many of them being the usual suspects. Countries like Brazil, Germany, Italy, and Argentina all have several World Cups, while some surprising countries have zero.

Out of the many countries that haven’t won the World Cup, which ones are the most surprising? Here are our picks for the five nations who are due to win their first title. Before we start the list, some of the countries that just missed the cut include Sweden, Hungary, Mexico, Chile, and the Czech Republic.

Croatia

Prior to 1991, Croatia was part of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia, and ever since it became independent, has been one of the finer football programs in the world. In 1998, Croatia made the World Cup for the first time, and the nation made it all the way to the semifinals. Unfortunately, they ran into the eventual champion and host nation France, losing 2-1.

It took some time for Croatia to get that deep into the World Cup again as over the next four events, they were bounced out in the group stage three times and then had one event where they didn’t qualify. However, Croatia took a huge step forward, making it to the finals in both 2018 and 2022. In the former, they lost again to France, this time in the finals (4-2), and in the latter, they lost 3-0 to Argentina before defeating Morocco to take third place.

Belgium

Belgium was part of the very first World Cup but didn’t fair well as they lost both of their games. Since then, Belgium has had streaks of not making the event and streaks of making the knockout stage. Belgium made the second group stage in 1982, then four years later had their best performance to date by reaching the semifinals. The Belgians lost to Argentina, though, then dropped the third-place game to France.

The streakiness in the Belgian program would continue, mixing stretches of not qualifying and deep runs into the tournament. In 2014, Belgium surpassed its previous best performance, once again making it to the semifinals. This time around, they lost 2-1 to France but won the third-place game by defeating England 2-0, capping off an incredible run.

Portugal

Portugal is one of those nations that’s considered a “new blood” at the global level as they were actually a bit of a laughing stock in the early days of the World Cup. It took them 36 years (1966) to qualify for their first World Cup, and then didn’t qualify again until 1986. That means Portugal had just two World Cup appearances between 1930 and 2002, but in 1966 they reached the semifinals, then won the third-place game.

Cristiano Ronaldo then came around, and Portugal became a staple of the World Cup. In their six appearances with Ronaldo, Portugal advanced past the group stage four times. This included a quarterfinals appearance in 2022, and their best finish came in 2006. Portugal reached the semifinals, but lost to France (1-0) and then lost 3-1 to Germany in the third-place game.

Mexico

After the 2022 World Cup, there were eight nations that had at least 16 World Cup appearances. Five of them have won multiple World Cups, two more had one title, then there’s another that hasn’t even reached the semifinals. That country would be Mexico, which has reached the quarterfinals just twice (1970 and 1986).

Overall, only Brazil, Germany, Argentina, and Italy have more World Cup appearances than the Mexicans. For some reason, though, Mexico hasn’t been able to get over the hump. In fact, in every World Cup from 1994 to 2018, they advanced past the group stage to prove that they belonged, only to be knocked out in the round of 16.

Netherlands

No country has come closer to winning a championship as many times without winning the trophy as the Netherlands. In their 11 World Cup appearances, the Netherlands has advanced past the group stage every single time and has reached at least the quarterfinals seven times. In three events, they finished as the world’s runner-up.

The first time came in 1974 when the Dutch lost 2-1 to the host team West Germany, then in the very next World Cup, they lost to the hosts again, this time dropping a 3-1 decision to Argentina. Finally, the Netherlands avoided the host nation in 2010 by playing Spain, but lost 1-0 after a 116th minute goal by Andres Iniesta.

When it comes to professional tennis, there are usually two or three people that are dominating the field at any given time. Because of this, you tend to see the same faces reach the finals of every major tournament, but it’s not usually one-sided. Instead, it has made for some great back-and-forth rivalries with all-time greats duking it out to see who is really the best.

Which rivalries in men’s tennis are truly the greatest, though? Today, we’ll examine the five best, but not in order of the most matches played or most grand slam finals at stake. Instead, we want to focus on the intensity of the rivalries between legends, even if there were barely a dozen matches played between the two. 

Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal

Three men dominated tennis for the first couple of decades in the 21st century, so it was hard to pick how the round-robin rivalries stacked up against one another. Of course, we’re talking about Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer, and for the start of the list, Federer is left off. That’s because Rafa and Joker have played each other more than any other duo in the open era and it’s an almost 50-50 split in the record.

The rivalry has been intense, though there’s a certain ‘it’ factor that leaves it lower on the list. After all, the two have also had more grand slam matches and grand slam finals matches than any other pairing. Both men have gone on hot streaks against the other throughout this rivalry, including two seven-match win streaks by Djokovic to even things up in their history.

Ken Rosewall vs. Rod Laver

There’s one rivalry from before the Open Era on the list, and it’s between Australian legends Ken Rosewall and Rod Laver. Early on in their careers, the two men would play each other seemingly every week, and they had 164 total professional matches against each other, with more than 200 estimated when you include exhibition matches. In 1963 alone, they had 51 professional matches with Rosewall winning 38 of them.

Laver would get better almost immediately after that year, though, and ended up taking the overall series 89-75 over his long-time rivals. “Ken has consistently been my toughest opponent, on any surface,” Laver said, adding that “Ken pushed me around for about 20 years.” If you take out their first year playing each other, Laver actually held a 76-37 series advantage.

Jimmy Connors vs. John McEnroe

Tennis may be considered more of a European sport, but two of the best rivalries in men’s history have been between two Americans. The first of those rivalries on the list is between Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, with the two men holding a combined 15 grand slam championships. 

Both of these men had rivalries with Bjorn Borg that were considered to be all-time greats, but against each other, there was a certain extra level of intensity. Connors and McEnroe squared off 34 different times professionally, including nine times in a grand slam. Two of those were in the finals, with each getting one win. “To have carried on this rivalry for so many years…must mean that we made our mark somewhere,” Connors said.

Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi

The other American rivalry to make the list was between perhaps the two greatest players that the country has ever produced. However, Sampras is considered the best in United States history, and he was a constant thorn in Agassi’s side as he tried to reach the mountaintop. Sampras and Agassi played their first match in 1989 and would meet up 34 times in total.

Sampras won 20 of those matches, including four of the five times when they met in a grand slam final. The first one came with Sampras sweeping the 1990 US Open, but Agassi would notch things up in 1995 at the Australian Open. Sampras dominated in their final three meetings, though, including a pair of US Opens.

Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal

There is a lot of debate about who the best men’s tennis player of all time is, and that conversation is usually between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The two just happened to play in the same era of tennis, meaning that they were able to prove who was best repeatedly. The two men played in 40 professional matches, including nine in grand slam finals.

Some might be surprised to learn that Nadal actually holds the advantage with 24 wins, including six in grand slam finals. The two needed each other to validate their careers, and they acknowledge that it meant a little more when they played each other. “It was different from other matches,” Nadal said.

You can’t have a 108-year-long championship drought in your franchise’s history without making a lot of mistakes along the way. The Chicago Cubs know all about errors that can set a franchise back from the promised land, signing many players over the years who didn’t live up to expectations.

Out of the many signings that didn’t pan out, there were some lessons that were more expensive to learn than others. Here are our picks for the five worst-ever Cubs free agent signings, costing the team over a quarter-billion dollars in total.

Jason Heyward

When he made his MLB debut, many thought Jason Heyward would be the next big thing. He had become an All-Star in his rookie season, and in his one year with St. Louis, he batted .293 with 13 home runs and had an amazing WAR of 6.9. Heyward then became a free agent prior to the 2016 season, and the Cubs jumped at the opportunity.

Heyward signed an eight-year contract worth $184 million. While his defensive play was solid and he became a good teammate, Heyward, unfortunately, didn’t live up to his bulky contract. Heyward’s final year was bought out by the Cubs, and in seven seasons he batted just .245 with 62 home runs. That’s a good single-season performance, but over seven years is a massive letdown.

Todd Hundley

Todd Hundley was one of the best catchers in Major League Baseball throughout the 1990s, especially toward the later part of the decade when he was with the New York Mets. While in New York, Hundley became a two-time All-star and at his best was hitting .280 in a season. In 2000, Hundley found himself with the Dodgers and had a solid season, hitting .284 with 24 home runs.

The Cubs signed him after the 2000 season, giving him $23.5 million over four years. Many thought that Hundley was the missing piece, but he rubbed fans the wrong way almost immediately after being signed. Hundley lasted just two seasons with that four-year deal, hitting for a .199 batting average and 28 home runs. He then ended his career after the 2003 season, which was spent back with the Dodgers.

Milton Bradley

Milton Bradley had a unique name and personality, entering the league in 2000 with the Montreal Expos. After making stops in Cleveland, Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Diego throughout the 2000s, Bradley found himself in Texas for one season. There, he became an All-Star for the first time thanks to his .321 batting average and .436 on-base percentage.

When he became a free agent, the Cubs gave Bradley a three-year deal worth $30 million. Almost instantly, he became a bad teammate and started talking trash to fans, all while having one of the most memorable blunders in baseball history when he forgot how many outs there were, leading to an opponent scoring. Bradley made it just one season as a Cub, finishing with a .257 batting average and 12 home runs.

LaTroy Hawkins

If you look at his overall statistics, LaTroy Hawkins was not bad, but Cubs fans who watched every game in 2004 and 2005 know why signing him to a big contract was a mistake. Hawkins seemingly came out of nowhere in 2002 and 2003 when he put together two amazing seasons with the Minnesota Twins. The Cubs then signed him to an $11.2 million contract over three seasons.

Hawkins was brought in as a set-up man but became the closer due to an injury to Joe Borowski. Hawkins was traded halfway through his second season, finishing his Cubs career with a 2.76 earned run average. That sounds fine on paper, but many of the runs that Hawkins gave up were in crucial situations which ultimately kept the Cubs from returning to the playoffs in 2004.

Edwin Jackson

Edwin Jackson had 16 different stints with MLB teams during his career which lasted from 2003 until the end of the 2019 season. At one point, he was a can’t-miss prospect who came up with the Dodgers, but ultimately became a journeyman with his Cubs tenure marking the end of his ‘potential.’ The Cubs gave Jackson a four-year, $52 million contract before the 2013 season, and it did not go well at all.

Jackson was traded part-way through his third season to the Atlanta Braves, but not before seemingly setting the franchise back. Jackson had a record of 16-34 with the Cubs and a 5.37 earned run average. Thankfully, his departure marked the beginning of the next step in the Cubs rebuild, leading to a 2016 World Series title.

The Chicago Cubs have one of the longest histories for any team in Major League Baseball. Because of that, the franchise has played thousands upon thousands of games, some of which were more memorable than others. Out of those seemingly countless games, though, which ones stand out as the most memorable? Here are our picks for the top five.

2016 World Series – Game 7

If you ask any Cubs fan where they were for the final game of the 2016 World Series, they would be able to tell you. The Cubs had fallen to a 3-1 deficit in the World Series, and it seemed that their 108-year World Series drought was going to continue for at least another year. However, the Cubs won 3-2 in game five, then handily defeated the Cleveland Indians in game six to force a final game to determine a winner.

The Cubs jumped out to an early lead thanks to a Dexter Fowler leadoff home run and had a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth. After the Indians chipped away, the Cubs were up 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth before Cleveland tied it up. Nine innings wasn’t enough, and a rain delay pushed back the 10th inning. However, the Cubs outscored the Indians 2-1 in the 10th inning, ending perhaps the most memorable game in baseball history overall.

2003 NLCS – Game 6

More than a decade prior to the Cubs finally winning it all, the drought continued due to the Cubs being on the other side of a blown 3-1 series lead. Nobody remembers game five when the Cubs lost 4-0 to force a game six, and not many remember the game seven loss that seemed imminent. Instead, everyone remembers game six and the blown lead.

Heading into the eighth inning, the Cubs were just a few outs away from making their first World Series appearance since 1945 with a 3-0 advantage. However, the Steve Bartman ‘incident’ happened and the Cubs fell apart. Mark Prior, Kyle Farnsworth, and Mike Remlinger took forever to wrap up the eighth inning, but not before surrendering eight runs. The game would indeed end in an 8-3 Marlins win.

The Ryne Sandberg Game

In the National League, the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry is perhaps the best, even above the Giants-Dodgers. In what would otherwise be a run-of-the-mill early summer game with low stakes, the game that took place on June 23, 1984, between the two teams became memorable thanks to second baseman Ryne Sandberg.

The Cardinals had a 7-1 lead after the fourth inning, but the Cubs came storming back to force extra innings at 9-9. Both teams scored a pair of runs in the 10th, and the Cubs walked it off in the bottom of the 11th, winning 12-11. The reason it’s referred to as the Ryne Sandberg game is that he went 5-for-6 at the plate with seven runs batted in and two home runs. Sandberg’s first home run forced extra innings, and his second forced the deciding 11th inning.

First Game Under the Lights

Wrigley Field has always been seen as the Mecca of daytime baseball, but the stadium has hosted more primetime games in recent years. While the primary focus is still on day games, Wrigley didn’t have a single night game until August 8, 1988. Despite some backlash, that was the day the lights came on at Wrigley for the first time as the Cubs took on the New York Mets.

The game did start, but rain caused the game to be postponed before five innings could be played. Still, everyone remembers those first few innings as seeing Wrigley illuminated in the night sky for the first time was something that we all had to adjust to. The following day, the first official night game was recorded, with the Cubs defeating the Mets 6-4.

Kerry Wood’s 20 Strikeout Game

Early on in the 1998 season, the Cubs took on the Houston Astros on a rainy and cold day at Wrigley Field. There weren’t many people in attendance to watch rookie Kerry Wood go through one of the toughest lineups in the MLB, but those who were there saw perhaps the most dominating pitching performance in league history.

Wood mowed through the lineup as if they were batting with spaghetti noodles, striking out 20 batters to tie the record for most K’s in a nine-inning game. Wood allowed just one base runner, as well, with an infield single that could have been ruled an error. That’s how close Wood was to a perfect game or no-hitter, but thankfully it wasn’t overshadowed as his strikeout record was the true takeaway from that afternoon.

When it comes to our favorite teams, there are certain athletes that find themselves in an echelon of popularity where we can’t envision them wearing another team’s uniform. At the end of the day, however, sports is a business and players come and go, changing teams on a regular basis. This even includes superstars across all sports, and sometimes seeing them in a new uniform just doesn’t look right.

Between all of the major sports, which ones have been the most shocking to loyal fans? Let’s take a look at the five trades that caused legends to head to new pastures while leaving fans hanging up their jerseys in the back of their closets. 

Wilt Chamberlain (Los Angeles Lakers)

The 7’1” Wilt Chamberlain was an NBA icon who had already established himself as the best player in basketball during his time with the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors. At one point, Chamberlain was averaging more than 50 points and 25 rebounds per game, which will never happen again. In his rookie season, Chamberlain won the league’s MVP title and was in the midst of a season where he was averaging nearly 40 points per game in 1964-65.

However, the people of San Francisco never really embraced Chamberlain as they did in Philadelphia. Because of that, Chamberlain was traded in the middle of the season to the Philadelphia 76ers, a franchise that had just moved to the city from Syracuse, New York. Chamberlain played three and a half seasons with Philly and remained the league’s best player.

Ken Griffey Jr. (Cincinnati Reds)

Throughout the 1990s, Ken Griffey Jr. was the fresh new face of Major League Baseball and a bona fide superstar of the sport. After he made his MLB debut in 1989 with the Seattle Mariners, Griffey spent a decade with the team before being involved in a truly shocking trade. At the end of the 1990s, Griffey had stated he wanted to be closer to home and raise his children.

With that, Griffey requested that he be traded to Cincinnati, becoming a member of the Reds while still in his prime. Griffey was traded for Mike Cameron, Brett Tomko, and two minor leaguers, with “The Kid” signing a nine-year deal with Cincinnati. Unfortunately, injuries would take their toll and Griffey was never the same after a great first season with the Reds.

Joe Montana (Kansas City Chiefs)

Before Tom Brady and Peyton Manning came along, many considered Joe Montana to be the best quarterback in NFL history. The former Notre Dame star was a third-round pick in the NFL Draft but quickly blossomed as a great NFL quarterback. Montana won two Most Valuable Player Awards and four Super Bowls as a member of the 49ers, but was traded to Kansas City after the 1992 NFL season.

The 49ers wanted to move on to Steve Young, who had many prime years left in his career. Montana was traded for a first-round draft pick and signed a three-year contract with the Chiefs. Montana played in two of those seasons before retiring, putting together an impressive 17-8 record with 5,427 yards to show that he wasn’t done just yet, making the Pro Bowl in his first season.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)

You can count on one hand the number of soccer players who have had the type of success as Cristiano Ronaldo. From winning the Ballon d’Or multiple times as the world’s top player of the year to several league titles, Ronaldo has done it all except for winning a World Cup. He spent many years with Manchester United and Real Madrid, but in 2023 had his most shocking move.

While there aren’t ‘trades’ in soccer quite like in American sports, we decided to count this acquisition to get the sport involved. Ronaldo wanted out during his second stint with Man U, and the two sides reached an agreement at the end of November 22. Just weeks later, Ronaldo announced that he had signed a deal with Saudi club Al-Nassr worth $200 million per year over three years.

Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings)

While other sports have a debate over who the best all-time player is, that’s not the case in hockey as it’s almost unanimous that Wayne Gretzky is the G.O.A.T. Gretzky is known as “The Great One” and that goes back to his time with the Edmonton Oilers, his first NHL team.

Following nearly a decade with the Oilers, Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, shocking the sports world. Gretzky was acquired (along with Mary McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski) in exchange for three first-round draft picks, $15 million cash and two players (Jimmy Carson and Martin Gelinas).

Each year, the Major League Baseball Draft is supposed to have all of the best players taken from the first round, but things don’t always shake out that way. Instead, some of the best players in the MLB end up getting drafted much later, but there has still been a long list of great players selected in the first round, and that includes members of the Chicago Cubs.

When it comes to the first round of the draft, the Cubs have had a mixed bag of success. Some players ended up being cornerstones while others never made it to the bigs. Let’s take a look at the Cubs’ draft history and unveil the five best first round picks. For this list, we wanted to focus on their Cubs careers, as players like Josh Donaldson were great, but for other teams. The Cubs who just missed the list include Rafael Palmeiro, Nico Hoerner, Mark Prior, and Corey Patterson.

Kyle Schwarber

Indiana University isn’t really known for its baseball program, at least in terms of creating Major League talent. However, in 2014, Kyle Schwarber was one of the top prospects in the MLB Draft. Though he was slated to be a catcher, Schwarber was drafted to be an outfield by the Cubs, who used the fourth overall pick to acquire him. Schwarber didn’t have to wait long to make his debut, as he was called up in June 2015.

Schwarber proved early and often that he could mash the ball, hitting 16 home runs in 69 games during his rookie season. In just 551 games as a Cub, Schwarber was able to knock out 121 home runs before taking his bat to Washington in 2021.

Shawon Dunston

There’s only one member of the list who was drafted first overall, and that’s shortstop/outfield Shawon Dunston. Though he had his ups and downs in Chicago, Dunston was still a fine ballplayer during his time on the Northside. Dunston was selected first in 1982 and made his debut at the start of the 1985 season.

Dunston spent a dozen seasons playing for the Cubs, and in that time had a .267 batting average and 107 home runs to go along with 175 stolen bases. Dunston had two different stints with the Cubs and was a two-time All-Star with the franchise.

Javier Baez

The 2016 Chicago Cubs were one of the most beloved teams in baseball history thanks to a long list of characters who gelled together to bring the franchise its first title in 108 years. One of the more admired players was shortstop Javier Baez, who has been known throughout his career for his free-swinging at the plate, his exciting high-risk baserunning, and exemplary defensive plays. The Cubs selected Baez with the ninth overall pick in 2011, and he made his MLB debut three years later.

Baez hit home runs in some important spots, and by the time he got to his mid-20s was one of the MLB’s top players. Baez played for the Cubs in eight different seasons and was an All-Star in two of them and a Gold Glove winner in 2020. Baez finished with 140 home runs as a Cub and a .262 batting average.

Kerry Wood

There were many who thought that pitcher Kerry Wood would be the next Roger Clemens thanks to his insane velocity. The Texas native entered into the 1995 MLB Draft, and the Cubs used the fourth overall selection to take him. Wood was brought up to the Major League Roster for the 1998 season, and he certainly didn’t disappoint.

In his rookie season, Wood was dominant and took him the Rookie of the Year title, finishing with a record of 13-6 and an earned run average of 3.40. Wood also had the best single-game performance for a pitcher, tossing a 20-strikeout one-hit game. Wood spent a total of 12 seasons with the Cubs, finishing with an 80-68 record and 3.67 ERA, splitting time between starting and bullpen duties.

Kris Bryant

Las Vegas native Kris Bryant was tabbed as a surefire star ahead of the 2013 MLB Draft and he indeed proved to be a safe pick for the Cubs with the second overall selection. Bryant was brought in to primarily play third base, and he had an instant impact on the team while also improving chemistry alongside Anthony Rizzo.

Bryant won the Rookie of the Year title in 2015 thanks to his .275 batting average, 26 home runs, and 99 runs batted in. The following year, he led the Cubs to the World Series and won the Most Valuable Player Award. In seven seasons, Bryant slugged 160 home runs while maintaining a .279 batting average before being traded to the San Francisco Giants in 2021, marking the end of an era.

There’s a new sport invented almost daily, but only a handful truly catch on around the world and become massively popular. These days, there are about a dozen sports that millions of people watch regularly, though not many know the true origins. Instead, we associate these sports with the countries where the highest level of play is held.

If you’ve ever wondered where your favorite sports come from, you might be surprised by the answers, especially if you’re an American. Here are five sports with surprising country origins, who they’re typically associated with, and how popular those sports have become over the years.

Baseball

There’s no sport that’s associated with the United States more than baseball (though there’s a different sport later in the list that could take that mantle). While baseball in its current form was invented in Cooperstown, New York in the mid-19th century. Many believe that it was Abner Doubleday who invented the sport, but that has proven to be a myth, and even Doubleday himself never said he was the inventor.

The first time that baseball received any mention was at the beginning of the 18th century in England. There were pamphlets and books about how to play the sport, and many who wrote in their diaries mentioned baseball during the middle part of the century. Rules were established over the years, but there was a branching off where England moved more toward cricket while America adopted the newer version of the original baseball game.

Hockey

There are a few countries that come to mind when thinking about hockey, and ice hockey in particular. Many attribute Canada as being the home of ice hockey, but that’s just where it became more popular. In the late 18th century, people in North America were more enamored with lacrosse. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, people were playing the first iteration of ice hockey called bandy.

When British soldiers were stationed in Canada, they introduced the sport to the country. Over the years, Brits almost entirely abandoned ice hockey when it became the national sport in Canada. It makes sense that it all went down that way, too, as there’s obviously a lot more opportunity to play ice hockey in Canada compared to England.

Tennis

The first two sports we highlighted were thought to be native to North America but actually came from England. Now, we have a sport that many associate with England, but was invented elsewhere. England is responsible for the more modern version called lawn tennis which evolved over time, with historians have said that northern France is the home of the basics of the sport.

The original tennis played in France essentially had the same rules, though a racket wasn’t involved. Instead, the game was called jeu de paume and people played exclusively with the palms of their hands. Rackets were introduced during the 16th century in England, which is why the country has been credited with inventing the sport. Having the first major championships at Wimbledon doesn’t hurt, either.

American Football

Though American football (or gridiron, as some call it) has a niche following in countries outside of the United States, no other sport comes close to popularity within the country. The modern version of football which would result in NCAA football and the National Football League started back in the late 19th century and exploded in popularity in the early 20th century.

The game takes a lot of concepts from other sports including rugby and association football, but the original sport dates all the way back to ancient Greece. It was called Episkyros, and over the years, there were small clubs that played a version of football that more resembles the NFL today. Of course, it wasn’t until the United States discovered British “mob football” that they developed it into a more refined game.

Volleyball

With all of these sports that many thought were invented in the United States, was there any sport that the country truly invented? It turns out there is, and it’s not just basketball, but another one of the world’s most popular sports in terms of participants. William G. Morgan of Holyoke, Massachusetts took an old tennis net in a YMCA gymnasium at 6’6” and volleyball was born.

During the early 20th century, the sport became a global phenomenon and has had variations including beach volleyball. The simplicity of the game and inclusiveness made volleyball attractive to millions. Interestingly enough, it was invented in the same five-year span in the same state as basketball.

When you have a history that’s as long as the Toronto Maple Leafs, there are going to be some great players that end up making their way through the franchise. In fact, no other franchise has put more players into the Hockey Hall of Fame, so it can be quite difficult to say who the very best of the best were.

We’re going to do just that, however, and take a look at the five greatest Toronto Maple Leafs of all time (in no particular order). Before we start the list, here are some Maple Leafs who just missed the cut: Wendel Clark, Dave Keon, Mats Sundin, Frank Mahovlich, Tim Horton, and Red Kelly.

Borje Salming

Sweden has produced a lot of great hockey players, especially on defense. Among the greatest is the late Borje Salming, who spent all but one of his 17 NHL seasons with the Maple Leafs. Salming came into the league in 1973 and had an immediate impact, putting together a +38 tally and 39 points as a rookie.

He only continued to get better and was named to the All-Star Team for six consecutive seasons. Salming finished his Maple Leafs run after the 1988-89 season, collecting a total of 768 points and 1,292 penalty minutes for Toronto. He played for one more season with Detroit before calling it quits and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996.

Johnny Bower

While there have been a lot of talented skaters to make their way through the Maple Leafs franchise, the goaltender is a position that has been inconsistent since the days of Johnny Bower. Bower entered the league very late, making his debut at 29 years old with the New York Rangers. After three seasons in the Big Apple, Bower spent the final 12 seasons of his career with the Maple Leafs.

During that time, Bower won the Vezina Trophy twice and was named to the NHL All-Star Team. He started 475 games with Toronto and posted a record of 219-157-79, a .922 save percentage, and a 2.50 goals against average. Bower was 45 years old when he retired in 1970, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame six years later.

Darryl Sittler

Darryl Sittler may not have spent his entire career with the Maple Leafs, but he was the face of the franchise throughout the entirety of the 1970s. He joined the team at the start of the decade, and throughout his 20s became one of the best players in the NHL. Almost every year saw him in contention for the Hart Trophy, and in 1978 he became an All-Star for the first time.

Sittler played in a total of 844 games for the Maple Leafs and scored 389 goals with 527 assists, good enough for 916 total points. Sittler then went on to join the Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings before retiring at 34 years old in 1985, and joining the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989. At the time of his retirement, nobody had ever scored as many points as a Maple Leaf as Sittler, who was eventually passed by Mats Sundin.

Auston Matthews

It can be hard to be considered an all-time great for such a historic franchise by the time you’re in your mid-20s, but that’s what Auston Matthews did. The American player from Arizona was highly sought-after when he entered the 2016 NHL Draft, and the Maple Leafs were able to win the lottery and acquire his services. Matthews certainly lived up to the pre-draft hype, too.

In his first season, Matthews won the Calder Trophy thanks to 69 points in 82 games at just 19 years old. Matthews then established himself as one of the top players in the entire NHL, averaging well over one point per game. With multiple All-Star selections and scoring titles, Matthews is undoubtedly a Maple Leafs legend already.

Doug Gilmour

Doug Gilmour made his way around the NHL quite a bit, playing for seven different teams throughout his long career. No team got more out of Gilmour than the Maple Leafs, though, in terms of both production and time. Gilmour spent seven different seasons in Toronto, appearing in 393 total games.

Over that span, Gilmour had an impressive 452 points and won himself a Selke Trophy along the way. The most impressive seasons for Gilmour came during the 1992-93 and 1993-94 campaigns. In those two seasons combined, he was able to amass 238 points including 59 goals. Gilmour returned to Toronto in his final NHL season, appearing in one last game in 2003 before calling it a career.

Cristiano Ronaldo has had one of the most celebrated careers in football history. The Portuguese striker has set records left and right while being considered an elite player for well over a decade. Of course, when you’re talking about football, you have to mention the World Cup. Even countries that aren’t represented in the event are tuning in, shining the spotlight on the world’s top players.

During his career, Ronaldo played in five World Cups with varying success. Let’s take a look at how he performed in each World Cup and rank those five performances from worst to best. Interestingly enough, the legendary player has never been to the World Cup Finals but has come awfully close.

5. 2014

There were four teams who were given better odds to win the 2014 World Cup over Portugal, meaning that the squad should have accomplished much more than they did. With Brazil playing host, the Portuguese team had their worst World Cup in the Ronaldo era in what should have been a relatively easy group to advance from.

Portugal was slotted in Group G with Germany, the United States, and Ghana. Germany easily qualified, winning two matches while drawing with Ghana. As for Portugal, they tied with the United States in points but had a -3 goal differential. In three games, Portugal was outscored 4-7, with Ronaldo only netting one goal himself. 

4. 2010

The expectations for Portugal weren’t as high in 2010 as they would be four years later, but there was still some hope that the then-young Ronaldo would excel in his first World Cup while wearing the #7 kit. While Portugal advanced out of the group stage, Ronaldo didn’t have a strong event with just one goal throughout and a yellow card.

Portugal was given a tough test in the group stage, as they were placed with Brazil and the Ivory Coast while North Korea allowed the other teams to get an easy victory. Portugal defeated North Korea 7-0, with Ronaldo scoring the seventh goal. They drew in their matches with Brazil and the Ivory Coast, both of which were scoreless. In the round of 16, they advanced on penalty kicks over Japan after a 0-0 match, but then lost 1-0 to rival Spain.

3. 2006

The 2006 World Cup in Germany marked the first time in which the legendary Ronaldo played in the event, and it was the fourth time in World Cup history where Portugal qualified. The oddsmakers gave Portugal the ninth-best chance to win the title, so they would end up exceeding expectations.

Ronaldo scored one goal in his six matches, the most that he played in a singular World Cup event. Portugal won all three of its group stage matches over Mexico, Angola, and Iran, with Ronaldo’s lone goal coming against Iran. Portugal advanced to the semifinals after defeating the Netherlands and England, but lost 1-0 to France and then 3-1 to Germany in the third-place game.

2. 2022

There weren’t quite championship aspirations for Portugal in 2022 as Ronaldo had started the twilight of his career a couple of years prior, but there was still a good squad around him. Portugal entered as the ninth-ranked country in the world, and they would mildly surpass what was expected from them. With Qatar playing host, Portugal was given a group with South Korea, Uruguay, and Ghana.

Many expected Uruguay to join Portugal as the other squad to advance, but the South Koreans would advance on goals scored. Meanwhile, Portugal won thy group with two wins and a loss to South Korea to help the Korean team advance. Portugal then dismantled Switzerland 6-1 in the round of 16 before being knocked out in the quarterfinals in a 1-0 upset by Morocco. Ronaldo finished the World Cup with one goal in his five matches.

1. 2018

If there was ever a year in which Portugal was going to make a run at the World Cup finals, it was to be 2018. That was when the country had Ronaldo in his prime and they were expected to at least reach the semifinals by a lot of experts. While they didn’t make it that far, the Portuguese still had a solid showing, with Ronaldo having his best World Cup.

In a group that also held Spain, Iran, and Morocco, Portugal defeated Morocco 1-0 while drawing 3-3 with Spain and 1-1 with Iran. In the round of 16, Portugal ran into Uruguay, but ultimately suffered a 2-1 loss that knocked them from the tournament. Overall, Ronaldo had four goals in the four matches that he played, including a hat trick against rival Spain in a match that the Portuguese held with a sense of pride despite ending in a draw.