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Russia has spent much of the year plastered all over the headlines for all the wrong reasons. After the glory that was the Sochi Winter Olympics, things once again went from bad to worse and the world’s eyes are on President Vladimir Putin to take more responsibility for the region’s ongoing instability. The recent downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 drove home the severity of the unrest and has called Russia’s commitment to peace into question.

As such, it’s unsurprising that there are those now insistent that the 2018 World Cup should not be held in Russia. Putin’s approval ratings at home may be through the roof, but the international community seems to think that to allow the next World Cup to take place in Russia sends entirely the wrong message.

“If Putin doesn’t actively cooperate on clearing up the plane crash, the soccer World Cup in Russia in 2018 is unimaginable,” wrote German minister Peter Beuth in a national newspaper.

And he’s not alone in his criticisms either, as Michael Fuchs of the Christian Democrats party also doesn’t see any sense in bringing the world’s biggest soccer tournament to Russia.

“FIFA football association should think about whether Moscow is an appropriate host if it can’t even guarantee safe airways,” he stated.

The FIFA World Cup is an event that so many countries the world over are fighting tooth and nail to secure for themselves. It’s an amazing opportunity for showcasing the best a country has to offer, silencing critics and generally brining a nation to the world’s attention for all the right reasons. And with the Sochi Winter Olympics already under its belt, Putin will not be looking to the World Cup of 2018 to once again bring Russia into international focus for positive reasons.

“Putin believes that a World Cup in Russia can be sold to his people as an endorsement of his rule,” said Tunku Vardarajan of the Daily Beast.

“Why should the world become an accomplice in a dictator’s Ponzi scheme of pride?”

“In all of this lies the chance, also, for FIFA to redeem itself. Under Sepp Blatter, its interminable head, the body has been opaque and corrupt,”

“Now is the moment for FIFA and Blatter to take a rare moral stand and not act as obstacles to the revocation of Russia’s hosting rights.”

In any case, it’s not looking in any way likely that FIFA will in fact give in to pressure and make any changes at all to its awarding of the next World Cup to Russia. Regardless of what goes on in the meantime, a country has never before lost the rights to the World Cup after winning them and this isn’t likely to change anytime soon.

Even the Dutch FA has insisted that given the tragedy affecting not only Russia and Ukraine but the rest of the world, now is not the time to be getting stuck into comparatively trivial matters.

“The Dutch football association is aware that a future World Cup in Russia stirs great emotion among all football lovers and the next of kin in the Netherlands,” wrote the association in the wake of flight 17’s destruction.

“Standing still to remember our enormous loss is now the priority. The association believes it is more appropriate to conduct a discussion over a future World Cup in Russia at a later moment, once the investigation into the disaster has been completed.”

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There may be no sporting event that is driven by emotion than the World Cup.

Both extremes were perfectly evident in the 2014 edition of this event. Whether it was complete exultation on the sides of the victors or complete despair on the side of the vanquished, passion seeped through the host nation of Brazil over the course of one month’s worth of football drama.

Ultimate joy went to Germany, which used the latest goal ever scored in World Cup final to edge Argentina in extra time.

That ever-precious and ever-dramatic goal came off the foot of Mario Goetze in the 113^th minute and went past the outstretched arms of Sergio Romero.

It prompted cheers from the German rooters contrasted with tears and anguish from the Argentines—which lasted through the final whistle and may last for the foreseeable future.

While Goetze is the hero of the moment, Lionel Messi has been a star for years. The unquestioned leader of the Argentina attack finished the World Cup as the third-highest scorer (four goals) and the recipient of the Golden Ball Award—given to the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. However, he was rendered helpless in the all-important final—managing a meager four shots (none on goal) against German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

The last came in the waning seconds, as Messi was granted a free kick 25 yards away from the net. Bypassing a possible pass to a teammate, he went for the score—and his attempt was well high.

Moments later, Germany had captured its first World Cup title since 1990 and had eliminated Argentina for the third straight time.

But the failure for Messi to bring a championship for his home country was nothing compared to the complete unraveling of the host nation.

Brazil and its fans had sights set on a dream finish. Instead, they got a nightmare scenario. After cruising through group play, needing penalty kicks to beat Chile in the round of 16, and edging Portugal in the quarterfinals, they encountered Germany in a semifinal showdown. It quickly became a one-team showcase.

The Germans scored in 11^th minute, then in the 23^rd minute, the 24^th minute, the 26^th minute, and the 29^th minute. Before many could blink, it was 5-0. Brazil was stunned, Germany was cruising. The final score was 7-1, marking the largest defeat in Brazilian history.

Four days later, the home team attempted to summon up the energy to play in the third place match—but there were similar results. Going up against a Netherlands team that had already exceeded expectations with its run, Brazil surrendered a goal just three minutes in. Another Dutch score came just 14 minutes later. Brazil never recovered and once again couldn’t mount any offense, ultimately falling 3-0. It’s 14 goals allowed in the tournament was the most by a team in any World Cup since 1986 and the most by a host nation in the event’s history.

For Brazil, Argentina, and the other nations that came up short in their efforts for 2014, they now have to set their sights on Russia in 2018.

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The singles champions at this year’s edition of Wimbledon showed tremendous strength in different fashions. For Novak Djokovic, winner of the gentlemen’s tournament, it was great intestinal fortitude and resilience against the apparent momentum of the great Roger Federer. For ladies’ champion Petra Kvitova, it was sheer power in overwhelming her opponent. 

That opponent in the final held on Saturday at the All-England Club was Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard—a 20-year-old with a bright future.

But her hopes dimmed and darkened rather quickly against the 24-year-old Kvitova. Using a devastatingly fast serve and a wicked forehand, the No. 6 seed cruised to a 6-3 win in the opening set of the best-of-three set match.  Then, she dominated the second set and closed out the affair, 6-0, to claim her second Wimbledon title. The 2011 champion has a fantastic history in London, with a 26-5 career record (.839 winning percentage) on those grass courts.

While the loss for Bouchard may seem devastating on the surface, it’s apparent that her time of winning majors may be coming soon. Bouchard, a No. 13 seed at Wimbledon, used a pair of upsets to reach the finals—including a straight set triumph over third-seeded Simona Halep in the semis. The 2013 WTA Newcomer of the Year also was one of the last four in this year’s Australian Open and French Open.

Where Bouchard is heading, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have already been—and then some.

The two had combined for 23 major championships (Federer with 17 of those) heading into their meeting on Sunday for what was a final for the ages. Early on, the edge seemed to side towards younger and fresher Djokovic. The top seed on the men’s singles draw, however, was matched a determined Federer—aiming to add to his legendary status in the game of tennis and a record eight Wimbledon victory. The 32-year-old native of Switzerland, seeded No. 4 for this tournament, took a 7-6 win (9-7 in the tiebreaker) in the first set. Djokovic then took control—coming out victorious for the next two sets (6-4, 7-6 (7-4 tiebreaker)) and needing just one more for the crown.

It came to championship point in the fourth set. But Federer had an answer, rocketing an ace past his opponent and keeping the match alive. Federer used that momentum to win the fourth set—and the British crowd was on his side. Chants of his name, appreciative of the determination and guile he had shown, would deter most players.

That didn’t happen to Djokovic. The Serb rebounded, fending off break points in the fifth and deciding set and ultimately coming out with the victory in three hours and 56 minutes. Like Kvitova, it was a reprise of the 2011 final for Novak—who won that year but had become the subject of doubters after dropping his three previous major final appearances. Sunday’s win not only erased any notion to cracking under pressure, but it retained his status as the world’s No. 1 player.

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When on June 12^th the Estadio Sao Paolo played host to the opening match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup between the tournament hosts, Brazil, and an impressive but eventually eliminated Croatia side, the game stood for far more than the mere inauguration of a tournament can lay persuasive claim to be considered the most prestigious in global sport. Rather the fixture marked the culmination of seven years of flux, controversy, and frenzied media speculation that posed very serious questions pertaining to Brazil’s suitability and capacity to host the event.

The period that followed Brazil’s awarding of the World Cup in 2007 was characterized by the emergence of allegations of corruption and bribery that inculcated many of the most prominent members of the FIFA host selection committee as well as leaders of the Brazilian host country bid. In 2012 the resulting FIFA led internal investigation forced the resignation of the man at the head of the Brazilian Football Confederation since 1989, Ricardo Teixera (citing ill-health), and a year later the FIFA Vice President, Jack Warner, a man for a long time considered as the natural heir to Sepp Blatter’s throne, was similarly made to resign his position.

The years since 2007 also saw the birth of a widespread and popularly supported protest movement in Brazil, one that opposes the World Cup. The agitation which emanates from the grass-roots of the country’s favela constituency has seen Brazil’s poorest and most socially disenfranchised citizens react against what they perceive to be gross miss-spending of public monies on stadium and transport infrastructure that will be of little use to the tax-payer subsequent to the tournament’s conclusion.

This movement reached its peak during the 2013 Confederations Cup, occupying much of the attention of the international media as it did so, and served to overshadow Brazil’s triumph on the pitch. The famous banners reading “a doctor is worth more than Neymar,” produced just subsequent the striker’s €70 million transfer from Brazilian club Santos to Barcelona in Spain, distilled with a powerful eloquence and precision the gross inequity of a sport flaunting its vast wealth during a tournament held against a backdrop of crippling poverty.

The juxtaposition was glaring and in the months leading up to the World Cup the Brazilian people appeared to be experiencing a rapid and collective loss of faith in their national football team. The averous and contempt for the working poor displayed by the administration in charge of what was for a long time the country’s most beloved public institution made the drawing of a distinction between support for the players representing Brazilon the pitch and those doing so in the hallways of the FIFA headquarters in Switzerland a very difficult task indeed.

Yet when the Brazilian national anthem was sung in the Estadio Sao Paolo the protest movement seemed a very far removed phenomenon indeed. The final verse was sung a cappella by players and fans alike, disregarding FIFA’s stipulation limiting the time that each anthem can last. More than a few present in the stands and on the pitch were moved to tears. There were no clashes between protesters and police on the streets outside the ground as there had been during the Confederations Cup; instead the whole of Brazil was gathered around television screens for the start of the biggest event in world football. The country felt united in mourning when Marcelo turned the ball into his own net after just ten minutes of play and there was a similar sense of collective joy and release as Neymar, a young-man currently in possession of a god-like status in Brazilian society, inspired their comeback.

Brazil’s triumph over Croatia established a lasting and optimistic paradigm for the subsequent course of a compelling group phase of a tournament that is already well on course to be the greatest in World Cup history. We have already seen the reigning World and European Champions, Spain, sent home along with luminaries like Italy and England. Simultaneously we have witnessed the emergence of some of the most dynamic and attacking young sides in the recent history of international football: notably Chile, Columbia, Belgium, Nigeria, and Switzerland. Old stalwarts of the international game have not disappointed either: Messi has flourished for the Argentines, Benzema has starred for France, Robben and Van Persie have spearheaded the Dutch challenge, and Ozil et al look determined to at last push this fabulous generation of German footballers over the line at the biggest tournament on earth.

Football, for all of its flaws and failures, constitutes a social force of massive emotional power. The aphorism “opiate of the masses,” however, is one all too easily thrown around in relation to the tranquilizing effect that the World Cup seems to have had on the Brazilian population in the last three weeks. Indeed, the social inequities that the massive government spend on the tournament has exposed is seen by many to have catalysed a widespread socio-political maturation among the Brazilian people. The public’s patience in waiting to express their angst in the ballot box rather than on the streets after having carried off one of the great World Cups in the competition’s history constitutes a powerful demonstration of this development.

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Luis Suarez undoubtedly constitutes among the most compelling figures currently operating at the elite-level of international sport. The Uruguayan striker has lit-up the English Premier League since joining Liverpool from Ajax Amsterdam in January 2011 for a fee in excess of €26 million. Suarez has netted 69 times in 110 games for the Merseyside club to date and during the previous Premier League campaign he almost single handedly drove Liverpool to a first league title in fifteen years, scoring 31 goals in 33 league appearances.

The numbers are phenomenal and Suarez’s strike rate this season earned him a share of the European Golden Boot with Cristiano Ronaldo as well as a place on the shopping list of all of Europe’s most illustrious club sides.

Common logic would dictate that a player registering performances of this calibre with such remarkable consistency should be universally revered by fans, pundits, and players alike. Yet with Suarez this is not the case. And, on the evidence of his behaviour in the Estádio das Dunas, Natal, during Uruguay’s crucial World Cup Group D fixture against Italy on June 24, it will never be.

In the 79^th minute of a match that Uruguay needed to win in order to progress to the Last Sixteen, Suarez placed his nation’s hopes of victory in grave jeopardy by inexplicably biting Italy and Juventus defender, Giorgio Chiellini, on the shoulder in full view of the world’s sporting media. Two minutes later Diego Godin would rise to convert a header from a corner which ensured Uruguay triumphal progression to the knock-out phases of the World Cup at Italy and England’s expense. However, the world’s printing presses were already being fired up to produce headlines of a very different tenor; headlines that Suarez had stolen for all of the wrong reasons.

This was the third occasion on which Suarez has sunk his teeth into the flesh of an opponent on a football field. The Uruguayan’s first biting incident arose in the lower profile confines of the Dutch Eredivisie in 2010 when he was banned for seven games for biting PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal. Far more controversy reined when Suarez repeated this trick in April 2013 in a televised Premier League match for Liverpool against Chelsea. On that occasion it was Branislav Ivanovic who felt the sharpness of the strikers’ incisors, and the offence was committed less than a year after Suarez received a lengthy English Football Association ban for being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United and France defender, Patrice Evra.

The Ivanovic bite earned Suarez a ten game ban, a suspension that saw him miss the opening six games of this Premier League season. Who knows how many more goals the Uruguayan could have registered had he been present for the full quota of thirty-eight league games? And therein lays the difficulty with Luis Suarez. In spite of his incredible talent, the Uruguayan’s appeal to the sporting public is tainted by his demeanour on the pitch. It is legitimate for a footballer to play on the edge of the laws of the game (many greats have), however, biting is unacceptable conduct by any measure. After all, had Suarez assaulted Chiellini in that manner on a public street he would warrant criminal sanction, and this is his third offence.

When Suarez netted twice to eliminate England from the World Cup on June 19th we saw one of the finest talents in global sport at his magnificent best; five days later we witnessed him at his violent worst. The pending FIFA investigation and sanction (rumoured to be a 24 game ban) likely means that we won’t see him again for the duration of this tournament – a reality that is at once just and massively disappointing.

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Prior to this week’s 2014 NFL Draft, Johnny Manziel was expected by most pundits to be picked somewhere in the top ten.  Despite concerns about several off-field incidents during his career in Texas A&M, as well as concerns that his amazing success in the college game might not translate to success as a professional, the man many refer to as “Johnny Football” was thought to be capable of being the first or second quarterback off the board.  Instead, he went 22^nd overall, much lower than originally predicted, but went to a team that has long been in need of a quality signal-caller – the Cleveland Browns.

Indeed, Manziel was thought as a potential eight-overall pick, as Cleveland did have a chance to get some help at quarterback after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Central Florida QB Blake Bortles third overall.  Instead, the Browns went with cornerback Justin Gilbert, trading up with the Minnesota Vikings and getting a quality defensive player who picked seven passes last year for Oklahoma State.  Fourteen picks later, Manziel’s name was finally called, and it was the Browns using their second first-round pick on him, possibly getting themselves a quarterback good enough to start as a rookie.  Then again, that may or may not be the case, as Manziel will be competing with incumbent Brian Hoyer, a Cleveland native who replaced the disappointing Brandon Weeden as starting QB in 2013, only to suffer a season-ending injury after three starts.

As it seems, Manziel appears to be drawing controversy now that he’s officially a pro football player; walking onstage to shake hands with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Manziel made the “money” gesture by rubbing his fingers together, something that pleased many fans, but irked several others who have long been wary of his penchant for getting into trouble.  Aside from these frequent incidents, Manziel has also been criticized for his high-profile lifestyle, which includes a close friendship with Canadian rap superstar Drake, and a reputation as a hard partier off the field.

With more hype surrounding him than the average rookie quarterback, Manziel expressed confidence in being a winner for the Browns, a team that has often been scored for its traditional lack of a good signal-caller.  “Obviously, the team really wants to win and they want to win now,” said Manziel, whose lack of height was cited as a potential deal breaker for some teams. “I’ve been a winner everywhere that I’ve been. Whatever the situation may be, I’m going to work extremely hard to put myself in the best position to continue that trend of being a winner.”   Speaking about his above mentioned lack of height for the QB position – Manziel stands a shade under six feet tall – the rookie admitted being used to that criticism, and to being “scrutinized and nitpicked” for this perceived weakness.  “For me, the one thing I’d like to say is I improved from my first year playing to my second,” he added. “I got better. All I’m trying to do throughout these next few years is continue to get better and hone in on my skills and become a better player. I think if I do that, I can be really good.”

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ATLANTIC DIVISION

Provided the chemistry is there, the New York Knicks seem likely to finish first in the Atlantic Division, edging out the Brooklyn Nets.  There’s no doubt that Carmelo Anthony is one of the NBA’s top scoring threats, while new acquisition Andrea Bargnani should create some defensive mismatches as a three-point shooting seven-footer.  Despite those two offensive threats (and Sixth Man of the Year JR Smith), coach Mike Woodson continues to preach defense, and he’s got some stoppers on his lineup in Tyson Chandler, Iman Shumpert, and former L.A. Laker Metta World Peace.  Still, one has to wonder if chemistry won’t fail the Knicks in 2013-14.  As for the Nets, age and health may be the biggest obstacles for this team, which now has forwards Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett on the wrong side of 30, and Brook Lopez and Deron Williams both slowed down by injuries.

The Toronto Raptors could finish third as off-guard DeMar DeRozan and center Jonas Valanciunas continue improving, while Rudy Gay leads the way in his first full season in Canada. Still, it might not be enough for a playoff push.  The Boston Celtics lost Pierce and Garnett to the Nets, and are essentially a one-star team with Rajon Rondo remaining in charge at the point.  Don’t expect to see them any higher than fourth.  They may not, however, finish last, as the Philadelphia 76ers boast a collection of youngsters and journeyman-caliber players guaranteed to rival their 1972-73 lineup (yes, the one that finished 9-73) in ineptitude.

CENTRAL DIVISION

The Indiana Pacers had surprised some last year when they had topped the Central Division and taken the Miami Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals, but if they repeat this year and remain on top of the Central Division, pundits shouldn’t be surprised anymore.  The Pacers’ nucleus of Paul George, Roy Hibbert, and David West returns, while the returning Danny Granger and Lance Stephenson should make it an interesting battle for who will start alongside George in the wings.  And provided Derrick Rose is healthy, the Chicago Bulls could potentially top the Central Division, but may likely come in at a close second.  Expect bigger things from young “threes-and-D” shooting guard Jimmy Butler, and the usual strong defense from the likes of Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Taj Gibson.  And if Rose’s injuries remain a problem, head coach Tom Thibodeau is sure to make the most of whatever he has in his lineup.

The Cleveland Cavaliers added oft-injured Andrew Bynum and drafted Anthony Bennett first overall, but even with those acquisitions and the presence of one of the NBA’s best young point guards in Kyrie Irving, the Cavs may have to settle for third, yet eventually make it to the Playoffs.  Fourth and fifth may be a toss-up between the Detroit Pistons, who added Brandon Jennings via trade, Josh Smith via free agency, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope via the draft, and the Milwaukee Bucks, who look to be in full-on rebuilding mode.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

What else is new?  The Miami Heat look like the favorites to take the Southeast Division and top the Eastern Conference as well.  They’ve got almost all their key players back, including the “Big Three” of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.  And while all of the team’s key role players except Mike Miller are returning, things could get interesting if the comebacking Greg Oden, once the first-overall pick in the NBA Draft, proves to be at least a competent reserve at center.

The rest of the Southeast Division look like the proverbial midgets to the Heat’s giants, though one would argue that might not be the case with the Atlanta Hawks, who added Paul Millsap from Utah to replace Josh Smith at power forward; he will join center Al Horford and point guard Jeff Teague in making up the team’s nucleus.  Then we have three teams likely to take an early vacation and miss the boat to the Playoffs – the Washington Wizards, who may finish third behind young guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, the Charlotte Bobcats, whose acquisition of Al Jefferson (great on offense, but still one of the NBA’s worst defensive big men) may push them to fourth, and the Orlando Magic, who really don’t have much on the plate despite the addition of two-way threat Victor Oladipo as second-overall draft pick.

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NORTHWEST DIVISION

The Northwest Division should once again be ruled by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who, of course, retain their young nucleus of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka. Westbrook won’t be available for the first few weeks due to injury, but he does have a reliable backup in Reggie Jackson. First-round pick Steven Adams should be someone to watch, though it won’t be surprising if the Thunder brings him along slowly. At second place, the Portland Trail Blazers shouldn’t be that far behind, as they’ve got the criminally underrated LaMarcus Aldridge getting fed by 2012-13 Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard, and capable wing players in Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum.

As for our third place team, we’re inclined on picking the Minnesota Timberwolves, provided both Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio remain healthy. The addition of Kevin Martin at off-guard should give the Wolves a deadly outside shooter and scorer, while Corey Brewer’s defensive performance would have to catch up with his defensive stats and potential if he wants to make an impact on the wings. Fourth place could go to the Denver Nuggets, who shall be debuting a new coach (Brian Shaw) and dealing with the loss of Andre Iguodala to the Golden State Warriors. The Utah Jazz seem destined to finish in the cellar, with youngsters Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Gordon Hayward, and (first-rounder) Trey Burke all expected to get huge minutes.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

The San Antonio Spurs will give us more of the same in 2013-14 – precise fundamental basketball, Tony Parker quietly staking his claim as one of the NBA’s best pure point guards, and a seemingly ageless Tim Duncan starring at power forward and, on occasion, center. But we should also see more improvement from the Spurs’ youngsters, such as Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Even with Duncan and Manu Ginobili now on the wrong side of 30, they still look likely to edge the Houston Rockets, who upgraded their defense by signing Dwight Howard from the Los Angeles Lakers. Look for more double-doubles from Dwight, while James Harden lights it up in the backcourt, Chandler Parsons shows his versatility at the three, and Jeremy Lin runs things at the point. The Memphis Grizzlies, led by top defenders Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, will continue grinding it out on “D”, even with young coach Dave Joerger replacing Lionel Hollins.

The Dallas Mavericks got a bit younger by adding Monta Ellis, but coach Rick Carlisle’s options on offense are limited outside of him and the slightly aging Dirk Nowitzki. They may finish fourth, but don’t be surprised if the New Orleans Pelicans, led by last year’s top pick Anthony Davis and new additions Tyreke Evans (ex-Kings) and Jrue Holiday (ex-76ers), escape the cellar.

PACIFIC DIVISION

There doesn’t seem to be any question here – the Los Angeles Clippers should take this one, with the nucleus of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin returning, DeAndre Jordan remaining dominant on defense (though often useless on offense), and J.J. Redick stepping in as a much-needed threat from outside. They’ll likely be followed at second place by the Golden State Warriors, who add versatile defensive stopper Andre Iguodala to a lineup that already has Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, David Lee, and the oft-injured Andrew Bogut. These guys can score, but Iguodala’s addition ensures they’ll do what they could to shut down the other team. And while we pick the Los Angeles Lakers at third, there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to make the playoffs, what with Pau Gasol surrounded by a rather underwhelming supporting cast and Kobe Bryant out indefinitely due to injury. The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings look to finish fourth and fifth respectively, and even if they don’t win too many games, they’ll likely be exciting to watch – as long as they’re not your home team.