Ibrahim Abdul-Matin

Takeaway sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin looks ahead to what may be threatening the Superbowl hopes of the New York Jets. One of the best players in the league, cornerback Darrell Revis, is crying foul about a complex contract deal. The player is coming off a breakout year and is holding out for a major salary increase before payment rules change.

After almost 20 years Brett Favre is at it again. The wonder-old-man quarterback has just announced he is finally retiring, again, at the ripe age of 40. And speculation is soaring. Is this just another flirtation with retirement (he has already done it twice) or is 19, the number of seasons he has played, the magic number?

Reports came out yesterday that legendary NFL quarterback and future hall-of-famer, Brett Favre, is hanging up the spikes and retiring. The news isn't shocking since we've seen this song and dance before from Favre. The Takeaway's sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, does not think it is necessarily real news. He believes Favre has got some juice left in his tank, coming off one of his best seasons last year at the age of 40.

Major League Baseball's trade deadline was this past weekend with some major changes for some of the sport's closely watched teams. The Yankees traded for outfielders; the Dodgers got starting pitcher, Ted Lilly; and the Phillies traded for pitching ace, Roy Oswalt. Takeaway sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, brings highlights from the transactions and tells us which teams will benefit the most.

Alex Rodriguez is considered by many to be one of the best baseball players of all time. He was the youngest player to reach 500 home runs and is now at 599. Already in elite company, he is edging closer to that elusive 600 club. Who else is in that club?

With Baseball’s trade deadline looming, the nation’s pastime has started to really heat up. Aces are switching locations and teams are searching for that perfect missing piece as we get closer to July 31^st. On top of everything else is A-Rod’s bid to become the seventh member of the elite 600-home-run club. 

Amid scandal and controversy, the University of Southern California announced that they will replace athletic director Mike Garrett with former Trojans quarterback, Pat Haden. The move comes after the university recieved harsh sanctions from the NCAA following an investigation into the numerous benefits granted to Reggie Bush, and former basketball player, O.J. Mayor. USC also announced they are returning their copy of Reggie Bush's 2005 Heisman Trophy.

New York Yankees owner, George Steinbrenner, passed away yesterday morning at the age of 80. He helmed the Yankee ship for 37-plus years, winning seven World Series Championships. Steinbrenner spent a lot of money on the team in order to win and changed the relationship between teams and their owners. The Takeaway's sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin examines Steinbrenner's legacy.

The Netherlands defeated Uruguay in the semifinals yesterday, 3-2, to advance to their third World Cup finals ever, and their first since 1978. For the championship, they'll face the winner of today's match between Germany and Spain. Takeaway sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin looks ahead to the final World Cup game.

The Knicks and Amare Stoudemire agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract. But the big question is whether this means that the team is still in the running to get LeBron James.

Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams are taking home Wimbledon titles. And in the World Cup, Germany handily beat Argentina 4-0 and moves on to play Spain. Takeaway sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin recaps a big weekend in sports and says that The Netherlands is the team to beat in the World Cup

It was a sad weekend for U.S. soccer fans, as they watched the Americans fall to Ghana in the World Cup for the second consecutive time.  Ghana scored the game-winning point in the third minute of extra time, beating the U.S. 2-1. The Takeaway sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, reflects on Team USA's perfomance and tells us if the 2010 World Cup can be seen as a successful one for the Americans, and looks at whether it raised the profile of U.S. soccer. However, the tournament isn't over, and Ibrahim says that the great matches are still to come.

Not all college graduates are struggling to find jobs this year. The 2010 NBA Draft was last night and the Washington Wizards were given the first pick. The Wizards surprised no one when they used their first pick to choose John Wall, from the University of Kentucky. Other college players who graduated to the pros last night included Evan Turner, who went to Philadephia, Derrick Favors, who was picked by the Nets, and Wesley Johnson, who will be joining the Timberwolves.

Today concludes the action in Group C of the World Cup to see which of the four teams – Slovenia with 4 points, USA and England each with 2 points, and Algeria without any points – will advance to the round of 16.

Before the World Cup started the fate of the USA team seemed locked in perpetual agony. The familiar sense that no one pays attention to soccer and that anything close to a tie was considered a victory – especially against the European teams.

Takeaway sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin tells us why a bad call during the U.S.-Slovenia World Cup game is good for American soccer. He also looks at Italy's World Cup game against New Zealand. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, but it was a very emotional victory for New Zealand. "Italy is an old team," says Ibrahim, "they're playing uninspired soccer."

It was a winning weekend for Europe at the U.S. Open, where Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell became the first European in forty years to win the tournament. He shot 3-over-par 74 on Pebble Beach's treacherous course.

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics 83-79 in a nail-biter final at the Los Angeles Staples Center last night. 

Boston Celtics and L.A. Lakers face off as the NBA finals head in to Game 7 tonight at the Los Angeles Staples Center. The two teams have been matched against each other in the finals 12 times, only reaching Game 7 four times. Can Kobe Bryant lead his team to victory?

Tonight the Los Angeles Lakers Host the Boston Celtics in game 6 of the NBA finals. Boston leads the series 3 games to 2.  

Typically you would hear my comments live and direct, but this sports contributor recently lost his voice. Blame it on the raucous USA vs England World Cup game I watched (it ended in a 1-1 tie). Cheering from a packed room divided evenly between England and USA supporters, every play was worthy of a scream, a shout or a yelp. (AS I said last week, I have a soft spot for my home team.) However,today I turn from soccer to a wholly American game - basketball.

The World Cup starts today, when the South African soccer team, better known as Bafana Bafana (The Boys), plays Mexico in what the South Africans hope will be an improbable run towards immortality: winning the World Cup as the host country, a feat done only six times since 1930.

In a sports event of this magnitude – indeed, one could argue that this is the biggest sporting event in the world, even bigger than the Olympics – this is no ordinary time for the world. There is oil spilling in the Gulf of Mexico, financial crisis ruining lives, water scarcity, and terrorists threatening to strike at every corner of the globe. Still, in spite of our insecurity, we pause to crown a champion in “the world game” or as it is also known: “the beautiful game.”

The Washington Nationals pitcher, Stephen Strasburg was the number one overall pick in the draft last year, and today he makes his Major League Baseball debut. Washington fans are giddy with excitement and the team is selling standing-only tickets to the sold-out ball game.