For something to be a scandal doesn’t it have to be shocking? Doesn’t it have to be surprising?  That the leaders of FIFA, the governing body of worldwide soccer have been indicted for racketeering and bribery and money laundering certainly doesn’t qualify then. There is nothing shocking or surprising about it. In fact, haven’t we all said, “Ho hum, what else is new?”

Among the “alleged schemes”, said the Justice Department, were kickbacks to FIFA officials by executives and companies involved in soccer marketing and “bribes and kickbacks in connection” with “the selection of the host country for the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 FIFA presidential election.” Another Ho Hummer.

Like most Americans, I haven’t paid rapturous attention to soccer, the “football of the rest of the world outside of the United States”, but I did pay enough attention to know that it was pretty basic knowledge that the leaders of this sport used its events to “feather their own nest.”

Now the leader of Russia, old “Vlady” himself, Vladimir Putin,  is really ticked off at the United States. He says this is all a plot by the U.S. to keep the World Cup away from Russia in 2018. He says it is a little odd that the United States issued these indictments when none of the indicted are Americans and none of this happened in the borders of the U.S.  Now sometimes Vlady doesn’t make a lot of sense with his proliferations but maybe, just maybe, he’s on target here. Could this be grandstanding by newly appointed Attorney General  Loretta Lynch? Certainly there are more important issues here to be dealt with than FIFA, such as what the heck did Hillary do with all of those emails and the IRS scandal.

Keep after them Vlady. I think you are on to something!

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As you are reading this the state softball and baseball titles may have already been decided. Or not. The weatherman has been tossing a lot of no-hitters!

The ladies from Great Bend were to tangle with Blue Valley West on Thursday evening about the same time that the Larned boys opened tournament play against Kansas City Ward.  The Black Panthers entered state tournament action with a sparkling 20-2 slate and the Larned  Indians started with an 18-3 record. Both squads were number-three seeds. Meanwhile, right next to the Larned Boys in Topeka, the Hoisington/Central Plains  girls will put their 13-9 softball record on the line against Girard.  All tournament games of  all three ball clubs are covered by stations in the Eagle Radio Network so check your radios if you didn’t travel!



CHALK TALK: Even though the Royals have been one of the hottest teams in major league baseball, a recent slump has dropped them back into a tie with the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central. Though it may surprise the casual fan, the Central division of the American League has become one of the toughest in all of baseball with the Royals, Twins and Detroit Tigers vying for post-season action. | NBA fans have a fun final round coming up with the long-suffering Cleveland Cavaliers taking on the Golden State Warriors. Two ball clubs that aren’t used to being in the finals, both led by glittering stars. LeBron James of the Cavs and Stephen Curry of the Warriors are at the top of the list for All-Star.s | Remember last winter when I told you that K-State’s storming of the court following a victory over Kansas would have repercussions? They are here. The Big 12 passed legislation which could include fines and even the loss of future home games for not keeping their fans off the courts and fields at the end of games. Other conferences are expected to follow. | Notre Dame legendary coach Frank Leahy had this to say about the importance of football: “A school without football is in danger of deteriorating into a medieval study hall!”