SportsNews

TIM HOWARD: Yes, USA Olympic stars like LeBron James and Noah Lyles ARE arrogant. So what? It propels us to greatness… And why it’s time to lay off Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting

Published

1 year ago

August 11, 2024

I played at the World Cup and in the Champions League and for one of the biggest teams in sports, Manchester United. But only once in my career did I really feel: this is a once in a life-time opportunity. That was in 2000, when I was part of Team USA at the Sydney Olympics.

I was only 21 but, even at that age, I remember thinking just how enormous and special it was.

It wasn’t like representing the USMNT – which I did 121 times. Over in Sydney, I felt part of something bigger. Something very powerful.

I remember hearing guys on the 1992 ‘Dream Team’ say similar: Yes you can win an NBAchampionship. Yes, you can win MVP. But a gold medal? That’s different. The current USA basketball team is one game away from gold and their own piece of history.

LeBron James and Co have come under fire in Paris – for staying in a luxury hotel rather than the Olympic village, for enjoying a party before their quarterfinal. And for narrowly beating Serbia.

LeBron James and USA basketball have a chance for Olympic gold later on Saturday

DailyMail.Com columnist Tim Howard

The only fact that matters, though? They are on pace for another gold medal.

So they should forget the criticism and so should Noah Lyles. The sprinter has been hammered for talking too much, for celebrating too much and for enjoying himself much before races.

Sure, there is a certain arrogance about US athletes. But that is what has propelled so many of us to greatness. That is a key reason why the US sits top of the medal table.

So I don’t mind athletes being brash and loud. I’m okay with the talking and the confidence. Why?

You can’t be the best in the world without believing you are the best in the world. And no one will ever convince me otherwise.

We call it arrogance but, really, it’s an undying self-belief that most people don’t possess. And it’s something you need.

You cannot ascend to the top of the mountain and remain humble. We tell people to keep their feet on the ground. But with Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or LeBron, we are talking about the best of the best ever to lace them up. They didn’t get that way by being reserved. Or staying in their box. Lyles is no different.

Noah Lyles won 100m gold but the vultures were ready when he got bronze in the 200m

He is in a sport that feeds off self-promotion and he has figured out how to turn his personality into dollar signs. He has realized that if you are polarizing, all publicity is good.

I like him, I can see why many don’t. But those critics still watch him because they want to see him fail. I’ve been in that frying pan, I’ve had naysayers and when you’re on top, it fuels your fire. But athletes walk a tightrope every day.

If you talk and you back it up, fans will applaud you. But if you stumble or fall, fans will criticize you.

That’s how it works – as Lyles found out the hard way. No matter that he won 100m gold. The vultures were waiting as soon as he finished third in the 200m.

But Letsile Tebogo, who beat Lyles to gold in Paris, said something interesting after the race. He said he could never be the face of track and field. Because he doesn’t talk out of turn. He doesn’t put himself out there.

He just runs his race. That isn’t Lyles. That isn’t this 2024 Dream Team. That isn’t America. And my message to our Olympic stars? Don’t change. In any way, shape or form.

Imane Khelif celebrates with her Olympic gold after facing intense scrutiny in Paris

I have been discriminated against but I couldn’t even attempt to put myself in the shoes of Algerian Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting. The two boxers have been pilloried in Paris.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers but all I know? They are being vilified as if they have done something wrong. When they are brilliant athletes who have done nothing wrong.

No one should be criticized for who they are or for wanting to further their career. For wanting to win a gold medal under existing IOC rules.

SportsNews

EPL: Fulham must move on from defeat to Manchester City — Iwobi

Published

3 days ago

December 3, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Alex Iwobi says Fulham must stay positive despite their 5-4 defeat to Manchester City at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.

Marco Silva’s side put up a spirited display in the encounter, and were unlucky not to get at least one point.

Iwobi started the fight back by scoring the second goal for Fulham early in the second half.

The versatile midfielder’s compatriot, Samuel Chukwueze then rose from the bench to score two more goals for the Cottagers.

Manchester City, however, held on to go home with maximum points.

Iwobi stated that they deserved more from the game.

“I feel disappointed because we didn’t get anything out of the fighting spirit that we showed, but I think we have to take the positivity from the game,” Iwobi told the club’s official website.

Fulham will be away to Crystal Palace in their next Premier League game on Sunday.

SportsNews

EPL: Guardiola names team that impresses him everyday

Published

3 days ago

December 3, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has named the Premier League club that has impressed him so much this season.

The Spaniard said that Enzo Maresca’s side have really impressed him with the improvement they make everyday.

Speaking after Manchester City beat Fulham 5-4 in the Premier League on Tuesday night, Guardiola pointed out that a team must remain consistent to win the title.

Pep Guardiola’s side closed the gap at the top of the Premier League to just two points behind Arsenal with the victory over Fulham, but the Gunners could maintain their five points lead with a win over Brentford on Wednesday night.

“Chelsea impresses me more and more every day with Enzo [Maresca], but it’s long,” he told reporters after the win.

“Premier League is so long, many things will happen. We won six Premier Leagues, four or five when we in December, January or February we were behind.

“The team who wins the Premier League is the team who grows during the months and this is what we try to do. No injuries, it’s so long.

“But at the same time, if we push, we will be better and push ourselves and control the situations better, the emotions and we will see what happens.”

SportsNews

Outrage As ‘Biological Male’ Wins World’s Strongest Woman Event in Texas (Photos)

Published

1 week ago

November 26, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The 2025 World’s Strongest Woman final has sparked outrage after an alleged transgender athlete won gold.

American Jammie Booker, who is accused of being a biological male, beat Great Britain’s Andrea Thompson to victory at the event in Arlington, Texas.

According to Mail Online, Thompson walked off the podium, appearing to say ‘this is bulls***,’ while Booker celebrated. The Brit has since been crowned the ‘true World’s Strongest Woman’ by her coach and some of her peers.

Rebecca Roberts, a three-time winner of World’s Strongest Woman, has sensationally claimed that no one – not even the organizers – knew about Booker’s background.

Details on the American are not clear, but the publication sighted a YouTube video – uploaded to what appears to be Booker’s YouTube channel in September 2017, with Booker saying: ‘Everyone is dying to tell their own story and I am obviously no exception to that.

‘I’m 21-year-old trans woman with a history of abuse, struggling to stay true to herself while under the rule of her religious parents.’

On Monday night, Roberts posted a picture on Instagram that read ‘Protect Women’s Sports.’ She wrote alongside the picture: ‘I hold no hate toward transgender people. Everyone deserves dignity, respect, and the freedom to live their truth.

But I cannot stay silent about something that threatens the fairness and future of women’s strength sports. Transgender women, people born male, should not be competing in the women’s category.

This isn’t about identity. It isn’t about politics. It’s about the undeniable physical differences that exist in strength-based sports… differences that don’t disappear, and that matter more here than almost anywhere else. Women’s categories were created for a reason, and if we lose that, we lose the foundation of our sport.

‘What happened this weekend wasn’t transparent. None of us knew. Not even the organisers knew. And when fairness is taken by surprise, trust in the sport begins to crack.

‘My message is simple. Trans people belong in sport, but women’s divisions must remain biologically born female-only.

‘I love this sport. I have given my life to it. And I won’t ignore something that could quietly change it forever. Congratulations to @andreathompson_strongwoman… the true World’s Strongest Woman 2025’