'Your papers, please' must never be heard in America
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
Just when it seemed Chelsea's reputation couldn't sink any lower, along came "Ballboygate."
The players were more boys than men, not yet 17. But they were furious. Mimicking the ugly behavior of professionals seen on TV, they swarmed around the referee, haranguing him to disallow the goal just scored against them. One player was particularly aggressive, threatening violence. So Nicolas Perron did what any referee should do: He sent him off.
Police on Sunday night rescued midfielder Christian Obodo, a player for Italy's Udinese football club now on loan to Lecce, a day after he was abducted in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta, a police spokesman said.
Two Nigerian soldiers took part in the kidnapping of Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel's father, and at one point demanded a $4 billion ransom they considered "chicken change" for the team, security officials said Wednesday.
The kidnapped father of Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel was freed Monday after detectives traced him to a sprawling city in northern Nigeria and arrested his abductors.
Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins went on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a groin strain, and All-Star third baseman Placido Polanco was activated from the DL.
The father of Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has been abducted in Nigeria's restive central region, police said Monday.
Mikel said the kidnapping shocked him because his family never had any problems there before.
