Italy

Fan Teaser: Week 190 Solution

DouglasTHill2 Comments
Remember the last time?

This week the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off with a pair of Group A matches on Thursday in Mexico. Over the next 39 days another 102 matches will be contested across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, as the three nations serve as a tri-hosts of the event.

The last time a nation in North America hosted FIFA’s quadrennial futbol-a-palooza, it was 1994 and the USA played solo host.

The final was contested in the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA, before nearly 95,000 fans who turned out on July 17, 1994, to watch Brazil and Italy do battle.

It was mostly a defensive struggle as the teams’ played to a scoreless tie through 90 minutes of regulation, added injury time, and 30 minutes of extra time.

That set the stage for Penalty Kicks to decide the game’s world championship and it came down to the fifth and final Italian kick, after Brazil had three of its first four and Italy had only scored twice in four chances.

Roberto Baggio and Claudio Taffarel following Baggio's missed PK to coclude the 1994 FIFA World Cup
The immediate aftermath of Italian Roberto Baggio’s missed penalty kick at the conclusion of the 1994 FIFA World Cup in Pasadena, CA’s, famed Rose Bowl Stadium. Brazilian goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel rejoices at his country’s victory, pointing his gloved fingers skyward. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Allsport)

Reigning FIFA World Player of the Year, Roberto Baggio, a 27-year-old Italian midfielder who played professionally for Juventus, had the fate of Italy on his foot against Brazilian goalkeeper, Claudio Taffarel, who – ironically – played professionally for Italian club Reggiana.

Baggio’s right-footed boot sailed high over the crossbar and sent the Brazilian team and its faithful into a frenzy as it secured its fourth World Cup. The nation added a fifth eight years later during the Korea/Japan-hosted 2002 World Cup.

Footage from Baggio’s errant penalty kick via ESPN’s coverage of the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final at the Rose Bowl Stadium.

Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.

Inside Baseball – February Edition, Vol. I

DouglasTHill3 Comments
Cortina from above
The view of Cortina d’Ampezzo from high above on Mount Faloria.

Saluti agli abbonati del progretto tifosi sportivi.

Translation: Greetings Sports Fan Project subscribers.

As I write this February edition of “Inside Baseball,” my traveling party and I are en route from San Vito, Italy, to Milan.

It’s pretty much a 6-hour travel day from our housing near Cortina to Milan where we’ll continue our Winter Olympics experience over the next week.

As promised a little more than a week ago, here’s the first of two “Inside Baseball” editions this month, focusing – primarily – on our time in Cortina for a pair of events as part of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.

Please enjoy the slide show below that highlights much of what we experienced in the quaint Dolomites’ village of Cortina d’Ampezzo, one of the named host cities for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

  • The Olympic Cauldron by night in Piazza Angelo di Bona.
  • The Cauldron by day with Olimpia delle Tofane in the backdrop.
  • The Olympic Cauldron with Carol and I in the foreground.
  • Corso Italia is decked out with flags and illuminated figures flying overhead.
  • The waning sun in downtown Cortina.
  • This flags adorn various lamp posts throughout Cortina.
  • The remainder of the set.
  • You never know who might meet on the streets. Here’s Carol and a member of the Jamaican Bobsleigh Team.
  • The Olympic and Paralympic torches were found in a streetside display.
  • The Coca-Cola Peak Experience allowed for visitors to hold a torch.
  • The Olympic Medals.
  • The Paralympic Medals.
  • Switzerland’s Hospitality House provided us with a warming spot and lovely meal following our time at the luge event.
  • The Argentinian contingent marches in the Cortina Opening Ceremonies Parade of Nations.
  • Fans from everywhere crowded around Cortina to see the Opening Ceremonies, including these recognizable names from Canada.
  • The Australian athletes’ contingent.
  • Various television crews from around the world are frequently doing live reports from streets.
  • The view inside the Cortina Sliding Center.
  • One of the two mascots, Tina, was at the Men’s Luge Event.
  • Looking down the row of flags in the Sliding Center.
  • In case I ever forget what it was I was seeing.
  • You’ve gotta …
  • …. be …
  • … quick …
  • … on the photo button.
  • Here’s a men’s luge participant at the finish.
  • We watched the final runs from our home the next night. Here’s Gold Medalist Max Langenhan from Germany celebrating.
  • I wonder how the German’s will fare in skeleton?
  • The Sliding Center as seen from the Cortina Olympic Curling Stadium.
  • The view of Olimpia delle Tofane from across the valley atop Mount Faloria.
  • The one constant we experienced in Cortina was lack of organization for boarding the shuttle bus.
  • Our seat view during Curling.
  • The logo on the curling ice.
  • A pair of passionate Italian fans cheer on their team.
  • American curlers Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin talk strategy during their semifinal match.
  • Italian curlers Stefania Costantini and Amos Monsaner during their semifinal match.
  • The Swedish curlers are siblings Rasmus and Isabella Wrana.
  • The British curlers are Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat.
  • The Brits conceded their match to Sweden with one end remaining.
  • The Americans Korey and Cory celebrate their semifinal victory.
  • Our group, Tim, Tracey, Carol, and I, following the action.
  • A wide view of the Cortina Olympic Curling Stadium.
  • We watched the Gold Medal match from our flat. Sweden won.
  • It’s hard to see (look for the arrow), but that’s the helicopter airlifting U.S. downhill skier Lindsey Vonn off Tofane following her crash.
  • The Lilly photobooth puts you in the action.
  • Commemorative laser-engraved can of Coke? Yes, please.
  • Having fun at the Swatch Photobooth at Switzerland House.
  • The Olympic Rings in Cortina with Olimpia delle Tofane in the backdrop.
  • Cortina Village from high above on Mount Faloria

Moonlighting

I volunteered to serve as a Cortina correspondent for former Conversations with Sports Fans guests, Jill Jaracz and Alison Brown (aka Keep the Flame Alive Podcast). Jill had noted on a post shortly after she’d arrived in Milan that travel challenges/time constraints were likely to prevent either of them from experiencing any of the Games in Cortina. I filed a pair of reports that were, in my opinion … OK, following our time at the Men’s Luge Singles Runs 1 and 2 and again following the Mixed Doubles Curling Semi-Finals.

You’re able to listen to Keep the Flame Alive at this link. Jill and Alison do a whale of a job recapping each day’s highlights from a pair of fans’ perspective.

Around the World in 80 Sporting Events in the News

The cover of last Thursday’s Detroit News. (Photo by Helena Hill)

The Detroit News profiled my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project in it’s February 5th editions. Writer Tony Paul and photo journalist, Daniel Mears, combined to tell the story of my post-retirement endeavors. The editors at The News deemed it front page worthy, which was a bit humbling to say the least. Here’s a link to the story.

Video Virality

Midway through the Mixed Doubles Curling Semifinals, I shared the video below as a Facebook Reel. As I type this, it’s been viewed three-quarters of a million times!

Holy Moly!!!

American’s Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin combine on a 3-point score during the fourth end of their semifinal match with Italy.

Conversations with Sports Fans – Cortina Reflections

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The Olympic Rings in the foreground and Olimpia delle Tofane where the Women’s Downhill was contested in the background.

When I sat out upon the ⁠Around the World in 80 Sporting Events Project⁠ I did so fully aware an Olympic year would intersect with my plans.

And, quite frankly, pursuing the goal of seeing 80 of the most iconic sporting events and/or venues must include an Olympiad. That it would be the Winter Games (due to my self-imposed June 2027 deadline for finishing this quest) was OK with me. I have fond recollections of the Winter Games dating (faintly) to Innsbruck (1976), Lake Placid (of course!), and Sarajevo (1984). Along the way, villages such as Albertville, France, and Lillehammer, Norway, have also hosted and always seemed so idyllic when viewing from my living room sofa.

That I was able to make my way to Cortina, nestled in the Dolomites, was a bit of a dream come true. Sure, these Games are splitting time between Milan (Italy’s second largest city) and Cortina and I had plans to visit both, but I’m glad the initial experience occurred in mountains in a tiny village where people milled about and mingled along Corso Italia (Cortina’s main street).

In this special bonus Conversation I’m joined by my wife, Carol, my friend, Tim, and Tim’s wife, Tracey, to discuss what our experience in Cortina was like before we spent a day traveling to Milan for more Olympic fun.

Reflections from our time in Cortina d’Ampezzo for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

2026 Winter Olympics Bound

DouglasTHill5 Comments

My alarm was set for the unimaginable time of 3:45 a.m. last Friday.

It wasn’t to catch a flight or to rush out to my local Detroit-area bakery to get in line for fresh-baked paczki (the Polish pastry associated with Fat Tuesday) or even to get an early work out in (as much as my physician might appreciate that).

No, the alarm was set because I was notified two days prior that my 48-hour window to purchase tickets to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy, opened at 10 a.m. Central European Time. Which, I quickly discovered, was 4 a.m. in my neck of the woods.

So there I was without my morning coffee, tending to the dog’s early-morning needs, and firing up my laptop preparing to secure what I could for the trip which will be part of my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.

Things started smoothly as I was placed in the queue and, moments later, was admitted into the room to purchase tickets.

I’ve begun to learn, having played the ticket game quite a bit the past several months, that each platform is a bit different. This one was especially so.

As I reflect on the overall experience, my chief regret was not taking a moment to study the main page as I entered the room. Rather, I began scrolling – by date – to find the events I wanted to purchase tickets for. Had I taken a moment to review the home page, I would have noticed I could have done searches by sport and not had to scroll as much as I did.

I persevered, however, and was successful in securing four tickets to six events (the maximum per person during this window was 25 total tickets). Then came the check out process which seemed to require including each ticketholders name for each ticket. Suddenly, as I was typing in the final five names my half hour shopping limit expired and my cart was emptied … #*&%!!!

I logged back in and utilizing lessons from my practice session, was more efficient in navigating the system. Unfortunately, the first three events I attempted to purchase were now sold out so I needed to recalibrate my strategy.

Looking over the schedule of the Games – which will be the most geographically spread out in Olympic history – I endeavored to cobble together something that captured as many of our preferred events as possible while also allowing for travel time and down time (which I’m also told is important for first-time Olympic attendees).

This is what I walked away with shortly after 11 a.m. CET Friday.

  • February 7 – Men’s Singles Luge, Heats 1 & 2 in Cortina
  • February 9 – Mixed Doubles Curling Semifinals in Cortina
  • February 11 – Ice Dancing Free Dance in Milan
  • February 12 – Men’s Ice Hockey Pool Play in Milan
  • February 14 – Short Track Speed Skaing in Milan
  • February 16 – Women’s Ice Hockey Semifinal in Milan

Might there be another event added should the secondary ticket market provide some opportunities? I’d think so, but for a first Games this seems a robust schedule and one that hits on some of the traditional and not-so-traditional winter sports.