DAVID BECKHAM

1-What dream did Ted Beckham pass to his son?

His father passed his son the dream to become a professional football player.

2-Why are youth teams important for football clubs?

Because the football clubs use youth teams to train as possible future players.

3-What is David Beckham's favourite goal of his career?

The goal that he scored from inside his own half, when he was playing for the United as a midfielder, against Wimbledon.

4-When did David decide that Victoria Adams was the girl for him? He decided it when he saw a Spice Girls video for the first time

5-Why did the referee give Beckham a red card during the match against Argentina?

Because Diego Simeone, the Argentinean captain, fouled him and knocked David to the ground, then he was angry and kicked Diego. He started to scream in pain and fell to the ground. The referee gave David a red card. This is the reason.

6-Why didn't Beckham go to training for an important match?

He didn't go to training because his son Brooklyn was ill, he had problems breathing and Beckham decided to stay at home with Brooklyn.

7-What incident convinced the Beckhams to employ a bodyguard to protect Brooklyn?

He decided to employ a bodyguard because Brooklyn and Victoria were the targets of kidnappers. And because in November 2002 there was another plot to kidnap Victoria.

8-Why were English football fans worried after Beckham's match against Aston Villa?

Because there was a match between the national team and Germany in a week and David had an injury in the match against Aston Villa. The fans were worried for this.

9-Why did Beckham's team-mates respect him as a captain?

Cause he was playing a match and the coach decided to replace him but he refused because he thought that a captain had to stay with his players. All the team-mates were proud of him.

10-Why were many people surprised when Beckham thanked Sir Alex Ferguson?

The reason is that David and Sir Alex Ferguson had problems with their relationship in the past.

11-What shows that Beckham and Victoria like to help people with problems?

That in May 2002 the Beckhams gave a garden party to get money for all abused children in their home at "Beckingham Palace".

12-What contribution did Beckham make to England's performance in the 2002 World Cup?

There was a penalty against Argentina on the first half and David scored the only goal in the match.

THE WILLIAMS SISTERS

1-What was special about the US Open in 2001?

That year in the US Open, the two dominant tennis players were playing against each other, and it was the first Grand Slam between two sisters in 117 years. It was the first time that two American­African tennis players were in this Grand Slam singles final too.

2-What was different about the environment where the Williams sisters learned tennis?

The difference was that the Williams sisters learned tennis on public courts and not in private clubs, as the most important players.

3-Why didn't Richard and Oracene like the junior circuit?

Because in this circuit was a racist attitude from the parents and also because the parents demanded too much from their children.

4-How did Richard react to Rick Macci's offer?

He didn't think twice, it was an easy decision for him. He took his family and moved to Florida.

5-How did Richard make sure that Venus had time for other things and not only for tennis?

Richard made sure that his daughter enjoyed her younger years. She played in no more than five tournaments in 1995 and in no more that nine in 1996.

6-How did Reebok show their confidence in Venus' talent?

Reebok signed a contract valued in $12 million. Venus at that time was only 15 years old and it shows that Reebok believed in her.

7-How did the negative stories in the press affect Venus after her defeat at Wimbledon in 1997?

She wasn't worried about it, she thought that it was her first Wimbledon, and that there will be many more.

8- What was important about the Australian Open in 1989?

In this tournament, the two sisters played for the first time against each other.

9-What shows that the sisters are very close?

They are close because they lived together, practised tennis together and stayed in the same hotel when they travelled. And also because once, Serena said that they were the same person with two separate hearts. Another reason is that when they played against each other, Venus said Serena that she was sorry to won. All of this sews that they are very close.

10-What criticism do some people make of the sisters and what is the reply to this comment?

People said that the sisters were arrogant, but Venus, in defence,

said that she went to the tournaments to be the best, and not to make friends, and that she played fairly.

11-Why was 2000 a fantastic year for Venus?

Cause she won her first Wimbledon and Grand Slam singles title. And also because in the same year she won the US Open, and gave her 26 victories without a defeat. Venus was unbeatable. In the Olympic games in Sydney, she won the single gold medal too.

The Sports Illustrated, a sport magazine, named Venus Sportswoman of the Year, and signed a new contract with Reebok. It really was a fantastic year for Venus!

12-What were Serena's achievements in 2002?

In 2002, Serena became number one of the ranking in the world, in women's tennis. And also she played against her sister in the French Open and Wimbledon and won her.

13-Now do the sisters try to influence and help children?

They said to children that education was very important, more than being just an athlete, and there is more to life that playing tennis. They have classes at colleges.

14-What plans have Venus and Serena got to the future?

Venus in a future, wants to be an architect and Serena wants to be a vet.

PAU GASOL

1-How did young Pau show his interest in basketball?

He started to play basketball in school and he liked basketball more than football because, Pau said that basketball was a purer sport.

2-What happened to Pau at the Spanish Junior Championship in Tenerife in 1997-98?

In that year, the Spanish won the Junior Championship and Pau's performance convinced F.C. Barcelona that he had the potencial to be an important basketball player.

3-What career choice did Pau make in 1999?

He trained in the morning because he was now in his first year of medical school, and this was his only free time.

4-Why was F.C. Barcelona's victory in 2001 Copa del Rey tournament so important for them?

Because Pau returned to the basketball courts and he led Barcelona to it's first Copa del Rey tournament and they won.

5-How did many NBA teams learn about Pau's potential?

They learned that a person like Pau, who was tall, could handle

the ball well and knew how to throw to the basket and rebound well.

6-What name did Pau's team-mates give him and why?

They named him" The Pink Panther" 'cause he was thin, and he didn't have muscle, to compare with the other team-mates.

7-What did Pau's parents do to make his move to Memphis in the USA easier?

His parents took a year's sabbatical from their jobs to accompany Pau for his first season in Memphis. His brothers also decided to go with Pau to Memphis.

8-What was difficult for Pau when he moved to Memphis?

The difficulty was that Pau felt very lonely and he missed his friends and family. He lived in a hotel room and didn't know anyone in his new city. Fortunately he spoke quite good English.

9-Which of Pau's dreams came true in December, 2001?

His dream came true when Pau met and played against his idol, Michael Jordan.

10-How did the Grizzlies convert Pau and Shane into superheroes? The Grizzlies named Pau and Shane Battier like superheroes. They called Battier "Battman" and Pau was "Pow". They designed a comic book and described their adventures.

11-In the 2001-02 season, how many of the Grizzlies' games did Pau not play in?

Pau didn't play when the same started.

12 - What was unique about Pau winning to Rookie of the Year Award in 2002?

The NBA named Pau the Rookie of the Year, and he also become the first European to win the award.

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