International soccer is nothing if not fickle, so perhaps it should be no surprise that United States head coach Jurgen Klinsmann is again under close scrutiny just months after a pair of historic victories.

Friday's defeat to Jamaica in Kingston put Klinsmann's U.S. team in an uncomfortable spot in the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying in the CONCACAF region, a stretch of the road to Brazil in 2014 that it was expected to cruise through with little more than a smug wave to weaker opposition.

Jamaica's Jason Morrison, left, and Jevaughn Watson challenge Clint Dempsey. (AP)Instead, Jamaica's 2-1 victory means that the previously unthinkable scenario of the USA missing out on the World Cup is, while still unlikely, no longer beyond the realm of possibility.

Clint Dempsey's goal after only 36 seconds was the fastest in men's national team history and looked set to send the team marching further along the positive path of road results that included exhibition successes at highly rated Italy and Mexico this year.

However, a spirited revival from a

Read More »from U.S. road to World Cup that much tougher after loss to Jamaica

Fans at a 1995 Cleveland Browns game show their displeasure with Art Modell. (AP)A surprising swell of support for a special tribute to recently deceased former owner Art Modell has placed the Cleveland Browns in a tricky spot ahead of Sunday's kickoff of the 2012 NFL season.

Modell, who died at the age of 87 on Thursday, remains a divisive and controversial figure in Cleveland, having alienated fans when he moved the team to Baltimore in 1996.

A team spokesman confirmed the Browns have yet to make a decision on whether to honor Modell in some way, such as a patch on the jersey, a gesture on the team helmet or a black armband.

The NFL has mandated that a moment of silence is to be held before every game this weekend. The Browns stated the team will have an "appropriate recognition'' of Modell during Sunday's home game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Ever since he moved the Browns out of Cleveland, Modell has been vilified in this corner of Ohio, even after the NFL awarded the city a franchise to replace the one it lost.

However, three Browns fan groups

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As the end came, neither Andy Roddick nor his loved ones could hold back the tears.

Roddick announced last week that this U.S. Open would signal the end of his long career. Having prolonged the final farewell by winning three straight matches, Roddick, the best tennis player the United States has produced since Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, finally ran out of steam against Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in Round 4.

Even before the final ball was struck, Roddick had tears in his eyes, while his wife Brooklyn Decker and his mother Blanche openly wept in the stands, as del Potro moved towards a 6-7, 6-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory.

"It has been a road of a lot of ups and downs and great moments," Roddick said in his courtside interview minutes after the match. "For the first time in my career I'm not sure what to say. Since I was a kid I have been coming here to this tournament and I felt lucky just to be at there in the stands. I have loved every minute of it."

The U.S. Open has

Read More »from No storybook ending for Andy Roddick; overpowered by younger del Potro

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his first goal against Granada in a subdued fashion. (AFP)Cristiano Ronaldo's recent bizarre behavior may be caused because the Real Madrid star is jealous of the support fierce rival Lionel Messi receives from Barcelona.

Ronaldo has been in outstanding form to start the new season but his antics have become increasingly odd, first refusing to celebrate either of his goals against Grenada last weekend, then speaking of his sadness and dissatisfaction with the employer who pays him $15 million per season.

Countless reasons for his gloom have been speculated upon, with one of the most popular theories being that Ronaldo has been angered by Madrid stalling on offering him a blockbuster new contract, a suggestion that was rubbished by the player and his agent, Jorge Mendes.

Other theories included a report that the 27-year-old was suffering from depression, or that he was dissatisfied at the way his friend and teammate Kaka was being relegated to a secondary role within the club.

However, according to a source close to Ronaldo, the

Read More »from Cristiano Ronaldo's unhappiness may stem from a move Real Madrid didn't make

British table tennis player David Wetherill produced one of the most extraordinary moments of the 2012 Paralympics with an amazing headlong diving shot in his Class 6 (for athletes with severe impairments of arms and legs) clash in London.

David Wetherill returns the ball, without diving, during a match at the 2012 Paralympic Games. (REUTERS)This video shows Wetherill launching himself into a full-length layout to power a winner past German Thomasz Kusiak at the Excel Arena – to the audible delight of both the crowd and an awestruck commentator.

Wetherill's electrifying moment came during game four in a best-of-five match that he would eventually lose, signifying the end of his campaign at the Paralympics. But despite his exit, he has provided a moment that deserves a place in any highlight reel video from the sporting festivities in London this summer.

I might be 33 and fonder of baby back ribs than backhands and backspins these days, but many moons ago I was thinner, sharper and the Australian Open junior table tennis champion. As I break down Wetherill's point-winning shot,

Read More »from Paralympics table tennis shot defies eyes but not explanation

HIGHLAND, Calif. – An inspirational mixed martial arts veteran who conquered cancer used his final fight to spark what may become a new tradition in the sport.

After beating Brandon Anderson at a King of the Cage card last week, John De La O, a 42-year-old from Huntington Beach, Calif., bowed in all directions to the crowd at the San Manuel Indian Resort and Casino before laying down his gloves in the middle of the octagon and leaving the arena. De La O says he did it because it ‘felt symbolic’ and hopes it will becomes a trend in the rapidly growing sport of MMA.

"I am leaving my competitive career behind but I left my gloves behind to show that my heart as a fighter remains,” De La O told Yahoo! Sports. "I hope it is something we see more fighters do moving forwards. MMA is such a new sport so there is not a lot of tradition yet like you see in other sports. It was something for the people who believe that values, history and tradition in sports are worth something."

John De La O celebrates after a fight. (Courtesy: John De La O Facebook page)

Read More »from John De La O, cancer survivor and MMA vet, put cap on career in the cage with symbolic gesture

Clint Dempsey will become the highest-paid American soccer player in history after sealing a blockbuster transfer to leading English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

Clint Dempsey is thrilled to be joining EPL power Tottenham this season. (Getty)  The United States national team forward completed a switch from his previous club Fulham with just minutes left before European soccer's trade deadline expired after agreeing to a contract worth an estimated $22.2 million over three years.

The terms of EPL contracts are not made public but a source close to the deal confirmed that Dempsey is committed to Tottenham until 2015, with Fulham receiving a transfer fee of $9.6 million as compensation for losing their biggest star.

Brad Friedel was previously the highest-paid American, with the goalkeeper having earned $6.59 million per season since he joined Tottenham last year.

Friday's deal brought to an end a transfer saga that had rumbled on for most of the summer off-season, with Liverpool the strongest contender for Dempsey's signature for much of that

Read More »from Clint Dempsey's move to Tottenham makes him highest-paid U.S. soccer player ever

Traveling American soccer fans will have access to some marquee English Premier League games for the first time and could eventually have full access to all games after a groundbreaking shift in ticketing procedures for the world's most popular domestic competition.

Police across Britain mounted an operation against EPL ticket touts in March. (Getty Images)For years, soccer-loving Americans visiting Britain faced disappointment due to the previously restrictive and complicated process for acquiring tickets, with many either missing out or forced to pay drastically high prices on the black market.

However, top teams have now been authorized to allow their fans to sell spare or returned tickets on the secondary market, meaning greater access to patrons who were previously shut out of the biggest games.

StubHub, the California-based online ticket marketplace with a recently-acquired U.K. arm, will announce Friday that it has agreed to a deal with popular London club Tottenham to offer seats for its home games. Although StubHub had previously agreed to similar arrangements

Read More »from Policy change to make EPL tickets more accessible