As of my writing this column, the Beijing Winter Olympics have just officially concluded, and China is still committing crimes against humanity.
The men’s and women's track and field teams competed at Boston University’s David Hemery Valentine Invitational, named after the legendary track and field athlete David Hemery, on Friday and Saturday. This was no ordinary collegiate meet: it featured the top high school, college and professional athletes around the country, many of whom broke national records.
A sea of Egyptian red holds its collective breath as midfielder Mohanad Lasheen steps up to the spot. After a slightly stuttered run-up, his shot is saved as Senagalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy who dives confidently to his right. Now the score reads 3–2 Senegal, and with a chance to win it, a chance to conquer the continent, up steps Senegal’s talisman, Sadio Mané. Time stood still, as did the ball he so gently placed on the penalty spot. A swift glance at the sky, followed by the referee’s whistle, and Mané had scored, striking the ball powerfully past the outstretched glove of Egypt’s goalkeeper Gabaski. As the net bulged, the Lions of Teranga charged the field, engulfing their star player as their tricolor flags waved proudly into the night. Mané had done it, but amid the euphoria, he hadn’t forgotten his Liverpool teammate, Mohamed Salah, as the pair embraced. Mané’s brilliance as a player and a man had led him to glory at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), but his quest for this crown has been a long journey in the making.
It was an up-and-down weekend for the Tufts hockey team: an overtime loss, a commanding victory and a crushing defeat. The weekend’s two losses against Hamilton and a win against Amherst bring Tufts’ record to 5–13–2, with just one weekend remaining in the season.
A quick pass through the neutral zone lands on the stick of Artturi Lehkonen, and he buries it! The Montreal Canadiens are headed to the Stanley Cup Final. That moment was just eight months ago but it seems like a lifetime. Today, the Habs are projected to finish the year with 39 points, a total that would eclipse the 2016–17 Colorado Avalanche for worst in the salary cap era.
Men’s basketball continues its winning streak, collecting three more conference victories this past week. The Jumbos earned a win on the road against Colby 61–53 on Tuesday night and then swept their NESCAC weekend games against Williams 81–66 and Middlebury 81–73. The team’s record now stands at 13–9 overall and 8–2 in the NESCAC, leaving them securely positioned second in the conference heading into playoffs next weekend.
A few years ago, Dele Alli was one of the hottest prospects in world football. Many fans remember his iconic volley against Crystal Palace as he calmly flicked the ball over defender Mile Jedinak, twisted and buried it in the bottom-left corner. That season, Alli was a key part of Spurs’ title challenge, alongside budding stars Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen, as the North London club finished third behind Arsenal and surprise champions Leicester City. Just 20, Alli contributed 10 goals and nine assists in the 2015–16 season and was regarded as a dynamic box-to-box midfielder who could slot in as a second striker and provide attacking overload. Fast forward five years, and the energetic midfielder is a shadow of his former self, leaving many fans wondering, what next?
In an ultra competitive bout, the Tufts women’s swimming and diving team fended off their longtime rival Williams College in the NESCAC Championship over the weekend. Going into Sunday, the final day of competition, Tufts and Williams were set to vie for the win with Williams only leading by 7.5 points. Yet the Jumbos emerged victorious, winning the NESCAC Championship for the first time ever in conference history, with 1809 points to Williams’ 1758.5.
Professional sports in this country can be understood in phases. As more Americans had leisure time in the 1920s, baseball became the public's national pastime and an opportunity for people to distract themselves from the humdrum of the workday. Sports continued to grow along with popular culture and it has become ingrained into the everyday lives of the American public. The greatest moments in sports history have been documented in newspapers, radio shows, television and hall of fame museums. The modern era of sports combines advanced technological innovation with modern medicine to create a product that is of the highest quality. Athletes dominate the market with their shoes, advertisement deals and platforms, sometimes to the extent where they supersede the sport itself. But on that fateful day every February, the biggest spectacle in American sports eclipses everything else.
Over the weekend, the Tufts women’s basketball team completed regular season play with two hard-fought wins at Middlebury and Williams. The Jumbos finished the season with an overall record of 19–3 and a NESCAC record of 8–2. Tufts defeated Middlebury 77–71 and Williams 69–64, both in very close and exciting contests.
James Harden’s departure from the Brooklyn Nets to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday marked the end of one of the National Basketball Association's premiere superteams. That being said, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden and the 2021 Brooklyn Nets are merely the latest iteration of what has become an ever-increasing list of NBA superteams.
This weekend, millions of people across America will sit down to watch one of the most exciting-on-paper Super Bowl matchups in history. Why? Because nobody saw it coming. On one side is the Cincinnati Bengals — who entered the 2022 season boasting similar Super Bowl odds to the likes of the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets — and on the other, the Los Angeles Rams, who bet a boatload of draft picks on a flashy quarterback who had never won a playoff game.
The Tufts men’s and women’s indoor track teams had a busy weekend competing in both the Branwen Smith-King Multi and Tufts Cupid Challenge. Due to snowstorm rescheduling, the Branwen Smith-King Multi was pushed back a week for competing athletes. In spite of the extra effort, both teams had a strong showing.
The Tufts men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams competed at the Boston Winter Open at Boston University on Friday and Saturday. Tufts’ swimmers and divers who were not initially selected for this season’s NESCAC Championships roster shaved and tapered for this meet. While the meet represented the last one of the season for most of its participants, it also represents the last chance to be selected to fill one of the few open slots on the Jumbos’ NESCAC championships roster.
Hi! Welcome to "The Wraparound," the professional hockey column of The Tufts Daily. Whether you’re a diehard NHL fan or someone who likes the occasional diving save, you’re in the right place. Every Thursday, I’ll recap what’s going on around the National Hockey League — scores, stats, standings, trades — while adding some of my own thoughts and opinions toward the end. Let’s get right to it!
Over the weekend, the Tufts Jumbos got the better of the Connecticut College Camels, winning their Friday night matchup by a score of 3–2 and tying their Saturday game 2–2.
After being postponed by a year, the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations finally began in January 2022. The tournament brought many memorable moments from heated arguments breaking out between referees and players to upsetting wins by underdogs.
This past weekend, Tufts men’s basketball took on Trinity and Connecticut College, ultimately coming out on top with two NESCAC wins. On Friday, the team defeated the Trinity Bantams 61–38 and on Saturday, they beat the Connecticut College Camels 67–50. Their record now stands at 10–9 overall and 5–2 in conference play.
Be it college admissions, CEO hiring, the Nation Football League or the endless toil of day-to-day existence, I am endlessly reminded that I do not live in a meritocracy. Despite high profile lawsuits and ceaseless debate in political theater, the American dream continues to be an exclusive club.
