SPORTS: Mirai Nagasu
TOPIC:U.S. figure skater Mirai Nagasu won an Olympic bronze medal but her most notable
accomplishment at this year’s Olympic Games was when she became the first American woman to
land a triple axel at the Olympic Games. How many women overall have landed a triple axel and
what does this move involve? What have been some other high points in her skating career?
SEARCH TERMS: Mirai Nagasu AND triple axel
SPORTS: U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey Team Wins Gold
TOPIC:In a very close win, U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey Team has won the Olympic gold medal for
the first time in 20 years. Who were the star players on the team and what were some examples of
how the team worked well together? Who were the top Canadian players and what were the most
exciting plays of the game?
SEARCH TERMS: women* AND hockey AND (Olympic OR Olympics)
SPORTS: Sir Roger Bannister
TOPIC: Sir Roger Bannister was a British athlete and in 1954 became the first runner to run the
mile in under four minutes. His time was 3.59.4 minutes. His record stood for only six weeks as he
retired from the sport later that year. Where was the race run, what runners paced him through the
race, and what were their individual accomplishments in track and field? What did he do for the
rest of his life? What is the current record for the mile and who holds it? How different was
Bannister’s training regimen from how top athletes train today?
SEARCH TERMS: Sir Roger Bannister
SPORTS: First Trophy Gained
TOPIC:Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City team has won its first trophy of his tenure by beating
Arsenal 3-0 in the Carabao Cup. Also known as the League Cup, this tournament is open to the
four highest tiers of English football. Who scored Man City’s goals and what has been their roles on
the team in the past? What other teams has Guardiola coached in the past and what trophies has
he won with them?
SEARCH TERMS: Carabao Cup AND Manchester City OR Pep Guardiola
SPORTS: 2017 Sports Awards
TOPIC: The Laureus Sports Awards for 2017 were recently presented in Monaco. Roger Federer
was named winner of both Sportsman of the year and Comeback of the Year. Serena Williams was
named Sportswoman of the Year. Who were the other winners? What was controversial about
Williams being named? Who organized these awards and what is the purpose behind them?
SEARCH TERMS: Laureus Sports Awards
SPORTS: Daytona 500
TOPIC: Austin Dillon has won this year’s Daytona 500 race, part of the Monster Energy NASCAR
Cup Series. Why is the No. 3 car driven by Dillon so iconic at the Daytona 500? What took place in
the final lap in overtime that earned him his win? What are some other high points in his career?
SEARCH TERMS: Daytona 500 AND Austin Dillon
SPORTS: South Korea - Winter Olympics 2018
TOPIC:The South Korean-hosted 2018 Winter Olympics have ended. How well were the games
attended? Which countries won the most medals? What were some of the major upsets at the
games? What was the most exciting finish of the games? Who was the breakout star of them?
SEARCH TERMS: Winter Olympics AND South Korea
SPORTS: U.S. Cross Country Duo Take Gold
TOPIC:The U.S. team of Jessica Diggins and Kikkan Randall have won the first Olympic gold
medal for cross country skiing team sprint. How is this sport run and what are the rules? What
skills did they have that earned them this win?
SEARCH TERMS: Jessica Diggins AND Kikkan Randall AND (cross country OR cross-country)
SPORTS: Las Vegas Golden Knights
TOPIC: The professional hockey team the Las Vegas Golden Knights have become a sensation
with success that is unusual for an expansion team. What is an expansion team and what are their
usual challenges? What is the strategy and practice of the Golden Knights that make them so
successful?
SEARCH TERMS: Las Vegas Golden Knights AND expansion
SPORTS: Australian Open
TOPIC:The 2018 Australian Open ended with Roger Federer claiming his 20th major trophy and
Caroline Wozniacki earning her first. Who did they each beat to reach their victories and what were
their routes to the finals? What happened to some of the other top tennis players in the world at this
event?
SEARCH TERMS: Australian Open AND Federer OR Wozniacki
SPORTS: Winter Olympics
TOPIC: The 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in South Korea. North Korea and South Korea are
combining their athletes and will compete as one team. How did this come about? How many
athletes will be coming from North Korea? What flag will they march under?
SEARCH TERMS: Olympics AND (North Korea OR South Korea)
SPORTS: Women and Soccer in Saudi Arabia
TOPIC: Women in Saudi Arabia are now able to attend soccer matches at three stadiums.
Stadiums were formally an all-male preserve. Who determined that this change was okay? What
other restrictions continue to limit what women can do in Saudi Arabia? Can women attend sports
events in other Muslim countries?
SEARCH TERMS: Saudi Arabia AND women AND (soccer or football)
SPORTS: International Golf Competition
TOPIC: European golfers won the 2018 iteration of the EurAsia Cup, beating the Asian team 14-
10. How long has this biennial competition been held? Who were the two captains and who were
the team members? Does Europe or Asia hold the lead in this competition? What tournament did
this replace?
SEARCH TERMS: EurAsia Cup
SPORTS: Cleveland Indians Change Their Brand
TOPIC: In response to complaints that their grinning cartoon logo of Native American character
Chief Wahoo is racist, Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Indians is dropping the image from their
brand. What is the timetable for this change and what discussion has there been for a replacement
logo? What are some other teams that have made changes in their brand logos due to public
reaction?
SEARCH TERMS: Cleveland Indians AND Chief Wahoo
SPORTS: University of Alabama Football Champions
TOPIC:The University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide has beaten the University of Georgia Bulldogs
to win the NCAA championship in an excitingly close game that ended in overtime. What was the
exciting play that closed the game and gave Crimson Tide the win? Who were the top players on
each team and what were some other exciting plays?
SEARCH TERMS: Alabama AND Georgia AND football AND championship
SPORTS: Super Bowl
TOPIC:The Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots will face off in the Super Bowl.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each team and how will these factor in to how they
match up against each other? When was the last time these teams competed against each other
in a Super Bowl and what player is the only one from that game who will be playing in this one?
SEARCH TERMS: Super Bowl AND Eagles AND Patriots
SPORTS: New York City Marathon
TOPIC: Sharon Flanagan has become the first U.S. woman to win the New York City Marathon
since 1977. What is her history in running? Who won the men’s race and what is his history in
running?
SEARCH TERMS: New York City Marathon AND Sharon Flanagan
SPORTS: Melbourne Cup
TOPIC: Rekindling, owned by Lloyd Williams and trained by Joseph O’Brien, won the 2017
Melbourne Cup. Rekindling chased down Johannes Vermeer, who was trained by O’Brien’s father,
Aidan. How many times has a Williams-owned horse won this race? What other major races have
been won by horses trained by Joseph O’Brien? What type of season had Aidan O’Brien been
having before this loss?
SEARCH TERMS: Melbourne Cup OR Lloyd Williams OR (Joseph OR Aidan O’Brien)
SPORTS: Grey Cup Victors
TOPIC: The Calgary Stampeders lost the Grey Cup to the Toronto Argonauts 24 to 27. The Grey
Cup is the championship game of the Canadian Football League. Who starred in this game? What
were some of the memorable plays in it? What was each team’s path to the game?
SEARCH TERMS: Grey Cup AND (Toronto Argonauts OR Calgary Stampeders)
SPORTS: Lionel Messi
TOPIC:Lionel Messi has signed a new contract that will keep him at Barcelona FC to 2021. The
new contract allows the team to plan for its future knowing a key player is in place. What is his
significance in Barcelona’s line-up? How did Neymar’s departure to Paris San Germain affect the
contract negotiations? Is Messi likely to retire as a one team player?
SEARCH TERMS: Lionel Messi AND Barcelona FC
SPORTS: Soccer’s World Cup Draw
TOPIC: The World Cup draw has been held and all the remaining teams have been sorted into
groups. Russia is the host country. Did your country make it into the tournament? If so, who else is
in its group? Which group looks like the hardest to advance from? Which one seems like the
easiest? What nations failed to make it into the 2018 World Cup?
SEARCH TERMS: World Cup AND soccer
SPORTS: Cy Young Awards
TOPIC: Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals and Corey Kluber of the Cleveland Indians are
this year’s winners of the Cy Young Award. What does this Award recognize and what are the
qualities in these two baseball players that earned this award? What are their backgrounds and
how did they develop their pitching skills?
SEARCH TERMS: Max Scherzer and Corey Kluber
SPORTS: New Zealand Wins Again
TOPIC: New Zealand defeated England in the Women’s Rugby World Cup in a dramatic final
game. What was each team’s route to the final? Who starred for New Zealand? What did the
English players feel about their defeat?
SEARCH TERMS: Women’s Rugby World Cup AND (New Zealand OR England)
SPORTS: International Trophy Lifted
TOPIC: Netherlands beat Denmark in the final of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017. This is the first
Dutch national team to win a major competition since 1988. This Dutch team was coached by
Sarina Weigman, one of only six female coaches in the tournament. What was the final score?
How exciting was the game? Who starred for each team? How did the Netherlands react to this
victory?
SEARCH TERMS: Euro 2017 AND (Netherlands OR Denmark)
SPORTS: Final Races
TOPIC: Usain Bolt came in third in the final 100-meter race of his career. The Jamaican sprinter
had announced that the he would be retiring after the Athletics World Championships, held at the
London arena where he had won multiple Olympic Gold medals. What major events has Bolt won?
What was his signature victory celebration? How long did he dominate his sport? Did any other
sprinter have a comparable career?
SEARCH TERMS: Usain Bolt
SPORTS: Mayweather Beats McGregor
TOPIC:World champion boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. broke Rocky Marciano’s record streak of 49
consecutive match victories when he won his 50th consecutive win by beating UFC lightweight
champion Conor McGregor. What are key high points in the careers of Mayweather Jr. and
McGregor?
SEARCH TERMS: Floyd Mayweather AND Conor McGregor
SPORTS: Little League World Series
TOPIC: Japan’s Tokyo Kitasuna Little League has beaten the Lufkin Little League from Texas to
win the Little League World Series. What precedent did Tokyo Kitasuna set with this win and what
are the team’s key strengths? What are the U.S. regional divisions in this series and which
countries outside the U.S. participate? What is the history of the Little League World Series?
SEARCH TERMS: Little League World Series AND Tokyo AND Lufkin
SPORTS: Los Angeles Gets 2028 Olympics
TOPIC: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has made a deal with the city of Los Angeles
making it the host city of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. What are the details of this deal and
why was it made? What are the plans for how the city is going to prepare for these games?
SEARCH TERMS: Summer AND Olympic* AND Los Angeles AND 2028
SPORTS: First Female Referee
TOPIC: Bibiana Steinhaus has become the first female referee in Germany’s top soccer league,
the Bundesliga. She was also the first female referee in Germany’s professional leagues in 2007.
Where did she play soccer? What was her path through the women’s leagues in Germany and
what international games did she referee?
SEARCH TERMS: Bibiana Steinhaus AND Bundesliga
SPORTS: Golden State Wins NBA Championship
TOPIC: The Golden State Warriors have defeated the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers to win the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship. What precedent was set because these two particular teams played for the championship this year? What postseason record do the Golden State Warriors now hold and what are the key strengths of the team that got them there?
SEARCH TERMS: Golden State AND Cleveland AND (finals OR champion*)
SPORTS: America’s Cup Winner
TOPIC: Emirates Team New Zealand team defeated Oracle Team USA to win the America’s Cup, not only getting to take the cup back to the Antipodes with them but also winning the right to decide the format of the next Cup challenge. Who did New Zealand defeat in order to make the final set of races? How decisive was their victory against Team Oracle?
SEARCH TERMS: New Zealand AND America’s Cup
SPORTS: Confederations Cup
TOPIC: The Confederations Cup took place in Russia. This is an international soccer tournament held the year before the World Cup in the host country. What teams were in the tournament? What teams advanced to the final and how did they do so? How did Russia, the host country, do in staging this tournament?
SEARCH TERMS: Confederations Cup
SPORTS: French Open
TOPIC: Rafael Nadal won the French Open for the tenth time. He is the only man to accomplish winning the same major that many times in the Open era. Who did he defeat to do this? How special was this victory for him? How has he been playing the last few years?
SEARCH TERMS: Rafael Nadal AND French Open
SPORTS: Koepka Wins U.S. Open
TOPIC: Golfer Brooks Koepka has won the U.S. Open. What record by Rory McIlroy did Koepka tie in this tournament? Where was the tournament held and what was unusual about the course par?
SEARCH TERMS: Brooks Koepka AND U.S. Open AND Erin Hills
SPORTS: Penguins Win Stanley Cup
TOPIC: The Pittsburgh Penguins have defeated the Nashville Predators to win the Stanley Cup. Who were the key players on each team and what were some of the most impressive moments in the game? What is the history of each team and how has each grown and changed over time?
SEARCH TERMS: Penguins AND Predators AND (Stanley Cup OR champion*)
SPORTS: Diana Taurasi Breaks Scoring Record
TOPIC: Phoenix Mercury shooting guard Diana Taurasi has broken the WNBA scoring record by reaching a career total of 7,494 points. What WNBA awards has she won and why? What are some of her other strengths as a player and how do her skills fit in with the skills of other players on the team?
SEARCH TERMS: Diana Taurasi AND Phoenix Mercury
SPORTS: MLB Rule Changes
TOPIC:Major League Baseball (MLB) is investigating a change in rules that could impact the
strike zone, pitch clocks and trips to the mound. What concerns have spurred this investigation
into a rule change? What provision in the MLB labor contract puts conditions on rule changes and
what are those conditions?
SEARCH TERMS: MLB OR Major League Baseball AND rule* AND change*
SPORTS: UCONN Record
TOPIC:The University of Connecticut (UCONN) Huskies women’s basketball team have won their
100th straight consecutive basketball game, easily breaking their own previous streak in reaching
this new milestone. What was the average point spread of the games in this streak? What teams
hold the 3rd and 4th positions in most consecutive wins? What are the key strengths of the UCONN
women’s basketball team?
SEARCH TERMS: UCONN AND games AND 100 AND consecutive
SPORTS: Golf Tour
TOPIC: The European Tour teamed up with the PGA of Australasia to present an innovative
format for its tournament in Perth. The Perth Super 6 tournament featured 3 days of stroke play,
followed by a closing round of knockout match play. How successful was this tournament? What
did the players think about it? How does this format differ from the upcoming European Tour
GolfSixes tournament in England? Why is golf looking for new formats?
SEARCH TERMS: Gold AND European Tour AND Super 6
SPORTS: FA Cup Tournament
TOPIC:Lincoln City F.C. defeated Burnley with a goal at the 89th minute to move into the
quarterfinals of the FA Cup tournament. They are the first non-league team to advance this far
since 1914. Lincoln City is in the fifth tier of the English football league system, the National
League. How surprising is this upset? How is the FA Cup tournament constructed and who can
play in its early rounds? Does any professional sport in the U.S. have a comparable tournament?
SEARCH TERMS: FA Cup AND Lincoln City F.C.
SPORTS: Cup Winners
TOPIC:Cameroon defeated Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations, the continent’s soccer tournament.
Cameroon is scheduled to host the next tournament so they will be defending their title at home in
2019. What was Cameroon’s path to the final? How did Egypt get to the title game? Who scored
the winning goal and how did he celebrate it?
SEARCH TERMS: Cameroon OR Egypt AND Africa Cup of Nations
SPORTS: Gregg Popovich
TOPIC: San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has surpassed former Utah Jazz coach Jerry
Sloan for having the most wins for a single sports franchise. How many wins did Popovich need to
break the record and what are his coaching techniques that have worked so well? Who are some
of the top players he has coached and how did he work with these individual talents to develop
them?
SEARCH TERMS: Gregg Popovich
SPORTS: Busch Wins Daytona 500
TOPIC:Kurt Busch has won this year’s Daytona 500. When did he make his move to take the
final lead and what circumstances of the race eliminated some of his competition? What barred
him from the 2015 Daytona 500 and how has he come back in the past year? What are some of
his other major wins?
SEARCH TERMS: Kurt Busch AND Daytona 500
SPORTS: Return of Tiger Woods
TOPIC:Golfer Tiger Woods played poorly in the Farmer’s Insurance Open, his first PGA Tour
competition in 17 months. What were the strongest and weakest aspects of his game there? Why
did he return to the PGA Tour at this time?
SEARCH TERMS: Tiger Woods AND PGA AND Farmer’s Insurance
SPORTS: Clemson Champs
TOPIC: The Clemson Tigers have beaten the Alabama Crimson Tide to win the National College
Football Championship. Who was Clemson’s quarterback and what record did he break? Who
were the strongest players on each team and how did the players match up against each other in
the game’s most dynamic plays?
SEARCH TERMS: Clemson AND Alabama AND championship
SPORTS: Australian Open
TOPIC: The Australian Open features four players with experience in the majors: Roger Federer
against Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams playing her sister Serena. What upsets paved the way
for this final foursome? What record did Serena break with her victory? What was notable about
Federer’s victory over Nadal?
SEARCH TERMS: Australian Open AND tennis
SPORTS: Bernie Ecclestone
TOPIC: Liberty Media has replaced Bernie Ecclestone as the chairman of Formula One racing,
removing him from the day-to-day duties of running the sport. How did he come to dominate this
auto sport? What have been some of the controversies his leadership has produced? Who is going
to run the sport for Liberty Media? What lies ahead for Formula One?
SEARCH TERMS: Formula One AND Bernie Ecclestone
SPORTS: Wayne Rooney
TOPIC: Wayne Rooney has become his club’s all-time leading scorer with his 250th goal. The
Manchester United player currently has one more goal than Sir Bobby Charlton, whom he
surpassed as the all-time English scorer in 2015. What other records has Rooney won in his
career? What is the one accomplishment of Charlton’s that has eluded Rooney?
SEARCH TERMS: Wayne Rooney AND Bobby Charlton
SPORTS: Becoming a Champion
TOPIC: Kisenosato has become the first Japanese-born sumo wrestler to be promoted to the top
rank in the game since 1998. The three other grand champions, yokozuna in Japanese, were all
born in Mongolia. How does sumo wrestling differ from the wrestling in this country? What are the
ranks of sumo wrestlers and how does one rise among them? What did he do to be promoted?
SEARCH TERMS: Kisenosato AND sumo wrestling
SPORTS: Rhonda Rousey
TOPIC:In a fight to redeem her former title as champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC), Rhonda Rousey suffered a terrible loss to current champion Amanda Nunes. What about
the fight was crushing to Rousey? What is she planning to do in the future? What are the high
points of Rousey’s career as an UFC fighter? What are her strengths and weaknesses?
SEARCH TERMS: Rhonda Rousey AND (UFC OR Ultimate Fighting Championship)
SPORTS: History of Basketball
TOPIC:It was 125 years ago, in 1891 that the game of basketball was invented by Springfield,
Massachusetts gym teacher Dr. James Naismith. Why did he invent this new game and how was
the first crude basketball court made? How did he advance the game after creating it? How did
the early college basketball leagues develop and grow?
SEARCH TERMS: basketball AND James Naismith
SPORTS: Bob Bradley
TOPIC:Bob Bradley, the first American hired to coach in the English Premier League, has been
fired less than three months into his tenure. Swansea City now has to find a third coach for this
season. What was Bradley’s record with Swansea? What led to him being fired?
SEARCH TERMS: Bob Bradley AND Swansea City
SPORTS: Sir Bradley Wiggins
TOPIC: Cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins has retired from the sport. He was a winner of Olympic medals
and the Tour de France. What other achievements highlighted his career? How long had he been
involved with this sport?
SEARCH TERMS: Bradley Wiggins
SPORTS: South to Hobart Race
TOPIC: The annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race ran this week. Yachts depart Sydney on Boxing
Day (Dec. 26) with the goal of getting to Tasmania first. Who won this race? Were there any
notable incidents in it? What other races around the world are comparable to this one?
SEARCH TERMS: Sydney to Hobart race
SPORTS: Kelly Kulick
TOPIC: American Kelly Kulick has won the gold medal at the World Bowling Singles
Championship, defending her title as champion. What are her key strengths and bowling style that
distinguish her from her competitors? What are some of the other highlights of her career?
SEARCH TERMS: Kelly Kulick AND bowling
SPORTS: Tom Brady’s Record
TOPIC: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has broken retired NFL quarterback Payton
Manning’s record for leading an NFL football team in winning games. What was Manning’s number
of wins and games played? What were the number of Brady’s games played at the time of breaking
the record? What was the percentage of wins for each at the time Brady broke the record? What
are the skills that each man brings to the tasks of being a quarterback that has distinguished them
above other quarterbacks?
SEARCH TERMS: Tom Brady AND Patriots AND win* AND record
SPORTS: Craig Sager
TOPIC: Sports reporter Craig Sager has covered a lot of sports but is best known for covering the
National Basketball Association (NBA) games from the sidelines. What television stations did he
work for, what were his main strengths as a reporter and what awards has he won?
SEARCH TERMS: Craig Sager AND sports AND basketball
SPORTS: English Premier League Manager
TOPIC: Bob Bradley became the first American to manage in the English Premier League when
Swansea City appointed him. This follow stops in Norway, Egypt and France, as well as a stint
managed the U.S. Men’s National Team in the 2010 World Cup. What are Bradley’s strengths as a
manager? How have his previous teams done under his leadership?
SEARCH TERMS: Bob Bradley AND Swansea City A.F.C.
SPORTS: Carlos Alberto
TOPIC: Carlos Alberto captained Brazil’s World Cup winning team in 1970. The Brazilian football
federation noted his passing with three days of public mourning. Who else was on that 1972 team?
What notable goal did Alberto score in the final game against Italy? What was the rest of his career
like?
SEARCH TERMS: Carlos Alberto
SPORTS: United States Wins Ryder Cup
TOPIC: The United States has defeated Europe in the Ryder Cup, a biannual golf tournament
between Europe and the United States that goes back to the 1920s. Who were the most
impressive players on each team and why? How did the Ryder Cup begin and how has it evolved
over time?
SEARCH TERMS: Ryder Cup
SPORTS: World Series
TOPIC:The Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians are competing in the 2016 World Series.
What are the statistics about each of these teams in regard to making and winning a Series and
how does it make this one unusual? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each team, how
do the players match up against each other and how are these factors used in trying to predict who
the winner of the series will be? What is unique about Wrigley Field where some of these games
will be played? What is the curse of the goat for the Chicago White Sox?
SEARCH TERMS: Cubs AND World Series
SPORTS: David Ortiz
TOPIC: Designated hitter for the Boston Red Sox David Ortiz is retiring from baseball tying the
American League record for most RBIs (runs batted in) in a last playing season for an athlete.
What are his key strengths and what were the high points in his career? What Red Sox record did
he set in 2006?
SEARCH TERMS: David Ortiz AND Red Sox
SPORTS: World Indigenous Games
TOPIC: The first World Indigenous Games got underway in Brazil, opened by Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff. The competition features which sports and how are they related to indigenous life? What countries are represented at these games? How do Brazilian indigenous peoples feel about President Rousseff?
SEARCH TERMS: World Indigenous Games
SPORTS: Breeders’ Cup
TOPIC: Champion race horse American Pharaoh has won the Breeders’ Cup Classic, giving him a grand slam win. What constitutes a grand slam, what constitutes the Triple Crown and what were these races lie when American Pharaoh won each? Who is the jockey and what are his key skills? What are the most impressive features of this race horse?
SEARCH TERMS: American Pharaoh AND Breeders’ Cup
SPORTS: 8 Lateral Touchdown
TOPIC: In a recent college football game, the University of Miami Hurricanes scored a touchdown against the Duke University Blue Devils with a run that included eight lateral passes. What is a lateral pass and what are the rules concerning how they can be conducted during a run? What are some of the other remarkable lateral pass runs in the history of college football? What was controversial about Miami’s lateral run after the tapes of the play were examined?
SEARCH TERMS: Miami AND Duke AND (eight OR 8) AND lateral
SPORTS: New York City Marathon
TOPIC: Kenyans Stanley Biowott and Mary Keitany were the winners in the New York City 2015 marathon. What were the winning times and how do those rate again past ones? What has been the experience of Biowott in past NYC marathons that made this one especially satisfying? What aspect of Keitany’s win had commentators comparing her to Paula Radcliffe?
SEARCH TERMS: New York Marathon AND (Biowott OR Keitany)
SPORTS: World Rugby Cup
TOPIC: The World Rugby Cup tournament has been underway in Great Britain. What were the biggest upsets in this tournament? Who has reached the finals and what was groundbreaking about this match-up? Who won? How did the home team do?
SEARCH TERMS: World Rugby Cup
SPORTS: Abby Wambach
TOPIC: U.S. soccer champion Abby Wambach is retiring. What have been her major accomplishments in soccer and what are her key strengths as a player? What college and professional teams has she played on and what were her key accomplishments for each team?
SEARCH TERMS: Abby Wambach
SPORTS: Chicago Marathon
TOPIC: Kenyans Dickson Chumba and Florence Kiplagat are the respective men’s and women’s winners for the Chicago Marathon. What are the key strengths of each of these two runners and what have been some of their key accomplishments in the past? What kind of training regimen do they undergo to maximize their strength and talents?
SEARCH TERMS: Chicago Marathon AND (Chumba OR Kiplagat)
SPORTS: Olympic Coach Greg Popovitch
TOPIC: Head coach for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, Greg Popovitch will be replacing Mike Krzyzewski as head coach for the U.S. Olympic basketball team. What skills does Popovitch bring to the job and how does his style differ from Krzyzewski? Why was this change made?
SEARCH TERMS: Olympic* AND Popovitch
SPORTS: Kobe Bryant Retires
TOPIC: NBA superstar shooting guard and longtime key player for the Los Angeles Lakers, basketball player Kobe Bryant has announced he plans to retire after this season. What are his key strengths? How did his skills fit into the skills of other Lakers players over the years? In what years did he help the Lakers win the championship, and what were some of his most impressive plays?
SEARCH TERMS: Kobe Bryant AND Lakers AND retire*
SPORTS: Holly Holm Beats Rhonda Rousey
TOPIC: Holly Holm is the new bantamweight mixed martial arts champion after an upset victory over Rhonda Rousey in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), giving the popular Rousey the first defeat of her career. What are high points in the martial arts careers of each woman? How has mixed martial arts developed from a little followed sport to the strong popularity it enjoys today?
SEARCH TERMS: UFC AND Rhonda Rousey AND Holly Holm
SPORTS: Russian Doping Allegations
TOPIC: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has declared that Russia maintained a massive doping scheme during the 2012 Olympics in London and that their athletes and teams should be banned from international competition. What are they alleged to have done? How did Russia react to the accusations? Has this issue been resolved in any way? How did the international community of athletes react to this?
SEARCH TERMS: WADA AND Russia AND doping
SPORTS: Formula One Season Ends
TOPIC: The Formula One season has concluded with Lewis Hamilton repeating as the driving champion, while his teammate Nico Rosburg won the final three races held and finished second for the second straight year. Their Mercedes Petronas team has repeated as the constructor’s champion as well. How did other drivers and constructors fare this season? Are there any signs that Mercedes current dominance might end soon? Are there tensions between teammates Hamilton and Rosburg given their competition for the top spot?
SEARCH TERMS: Formula One AND (Hamilton OR Rosburg OR Mercedes)
SPORTS: Davis Cup Triumph
TOPIC: Andy Murray, his brother and other members of the British team have triumphed in Davis Cup tennis, defeating Belgium. It is the first British win in 79 years. What is Davis Cup tennis and how do the national teams compete for the prize? Who was the star British player in it last victory in 1936 and how does Andy Murray compare to him?
SEARCH TERMS: Davis Cup AND Great Britain AND Andy Murray
SPORTS: Heavyweight Title Fight
TOPIC: Tyson Fury has defeated Wladimir Klitschko and won the WBO, IBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight belts as a result. How long had Klitschko held these titles? Which boxing belt did Klitschko not hold and who is its current holder? Will Fury be able to consolidate all these belts? Why is boxing split among so many organizations and will it be possible to limit the number of them?
SEARCH TERMS: Tyson Fury AND Wladimir Klitschko
SPORTS: Fantasy Sports and Gambling
TOPIC: New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman has said fantasy sports gambling is illegal in the state of New York. What cases are there involving fantasy sports gambling companies DraftKings and FanDuel? What is fantasy sports and how does it work?
SEARCH TERMS: DraftKings AND gambling
SPORTS: Australian Open
TOPIC: The tennis world has held its first major of the year, the Australian Open.
Who has won it? Were there any upsets along the way? Based on the finishers, will this tennis season unfold in different ways than last year's?
SEARCH TERMS: tennis AND Australian Open
SPORTS: IAAF Scandal
TOPIC: A report on the International Association of Athletics Associations (IAAF) stated that its former leader, Lamine Diack, had created a culture of corruption, had ignored the Russian doping scandal, and had extorted athletes who had used drugs. The report was compiled by the World Anti-Doping Agency. How is this similar to and different from the FIFA scandal? Do these two scandals speak to the need to replace the heads of institutions like these more frequently?
SEARCH TERMS: IAAF AND Diack
SPORTS: Match Fixing Scandal
TOPIC: Even as one of its premier events occurred, tennis found itself caught up in a match-fixing scandal, allegedly involving lower level players in the earlier rounds of tournaments. How did the match fixing occur? Who benefitted from it?
SEARCH TERMS: tennis AND match fixing
SPORTS: Kathryn Smith
TOPIC: Kathryn Smith is starting as the first female assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL), working for the Buffalo Bills. What is her background as a coach and other experiences in sports? What are the skills noted in her coaching?
SEARCH TERMS: Kathryn Smith AND coach AND Bills
SPORTS: Rams to L.A.
TOPIC: The Saint Louis Rams professional football team is moving back to Los Angeles. Why are they moving? What has been the reaction of both cities?
SEARCH TERMS: Rams AND Los Angeles
SPORTS: Crimson Beats Clemson
TOPIC: The University of Alabama's Crimson Tide has beaten the Clemson University Tigers for the college football national championship. Who were the major players for each team in the game and what were the best plays? How did this win distinguish University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban?
SEARCH TERMS: Alabama AND Crimson AND Clemson AND championship
SPORTS: U.S. Women Soccer Players File Lawsuit
TOPIC: A group of professional soccer players from the U.S. Women’s National Team have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation seeking equal pay to match their male counterparts. What is the discrepancy between the pay of the male soccer players and the female soccer players in the U.S. Soccer Federation and what are the key arguments for either side of the case? What are some other sports where there is a notable discrepancy in pay between genders and what has been done about it?
SEARCH TERMS: Soccer Federation AND women AND lawsuit AND (pay OR paid)
SPORTS: A Change of Saddles
TOPIC: Victoria Pendleton, a British Olympic cycling medalist, undertook the challenge of learning first to ride and then to be a jump jockey in a year with a goal of racing at the Cheltenham Festival. She finished fifth in the Foxhunter Chase, a race for amateurs. Who set her this challenge and why did she accept? How did many racing professionals react to this challenge? Who trained her in becoming a jockey, and how did they feel about this race?
SEARCH TERMS: Victoria Pendleton.
SPORTS: Johan Cruyff
TOPIC: Johan Cruyff was a Dutch football star Johan Cruyff. He is thought to have been one of the greatest to play the game, and he had a successful career as a manager. Where did he play and what made him a special player? Where did he manage and how good were his teams? What championships in both league and international play did he win? What was his World Cup career like?
SEARCH TERMS: Johan Cruyff
SPORTS: Suspended
TOPIC: Maria Sharapova tested positive for a newly banned drug at the Australian Open and has been suspended from the tennis tour. What was the substance and why was it banned? What was her excuse for not knowing about the drug’s change of status? What did other players think about her use of a banned substance? How long could she be away from the tour?
SEARCH TERMS: Maria Sharapova
SPORTS: March Madness
TOPIC: March Madness is an informal term describing the NCAA college basketball tournament that plays out mostly through the month of March and into April. What teams have made the Final Four? What about this year’s March Madness was leaked on Twitter and what was the impact of the leak?
SEARCH TERMS: basketball AND March Madness
SPORTS: Women’s NCAA Basketball Championships
TOPIC: Syracuse University and the University of Connecticut women’s basketball teams will be competing for this Year’s NCAA basketball championships. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each team, and how do they key players match up against their counterparts on the rival team? What are the basketball histories of each team?
SEARCH TERMS: basketball AND NCAA AND (women OR women’s)
SPORTS: Peyton Manning
TOPIC: Quarterback Peyton Manning has retired from professional football after 18 seasons in the NFL. What two teams did he play for and what were some of his career highlights with each team? What were his key strengths that made him so successful, and what are some examples of plays that illustrate these skills?
SEARCH TERMS: Peyton Manning
SPORTS: Iditarod
TOPIC: Dallas Seavey has won his fourth Iditarod in 5 years. What are the key skills that he brings to the sport that give him an edge over the other mushers? What unfortunate accident happened in this year’s Iditarod outside the village of Nulato and what were the circumstances and legal outcome?
SEARCH TERMS: Iditarod AND Dallas Seavey
SPORTS: Golf at the Olympics
TOPIC: Some of the best golfers in the world are passing up this year’s Olympic Games in Brazil because of fears of the Zika virus, which can cause microcephaly in fetuses. What are the symptoms of this virus and how is it transmitted? What golfers have decided to skip this event? Why would golfers have a greater fear of getting the disease than many of the other athletes?
SEARCH TERMS: Olympics AND golfers AND Zika
SPORTS: US Open
TOPIC: Dustin Johnson was the winner of the U.S. Open for golf. Who were his main challengers,
who won which rounds and how? What are some of the other key successes in his golf career?
SEARCH TERMS: Dustin Johnson AND Open AND golf
SPORTS: Cavaliers Take the Championship
TOPIC: The Cleveland Cavaliers have beaten the Golden State Warriors 4 games to 3 to win the
NBA championship. What was the regular season like for the Warriors and what slowed them
down in the post season? What were the best plays of the championship games and why? Who
were the leading players in the game and why?
SEARCH TERMS: (Cavaliers OR Cavs) AND (Golden State OR Warriors) AND (championship OR
finals)
SPORTS: Euro 2016
TOPIC: The Euro 2016 European soccer championship tournament continues in France. What
national teams escaped the group stages into the knockout rounds? What the biggest upset of the
tournament? What underdog teams advanced against the odds?
SEARCH TERMS: Euro 2016
SPORTS: Sport Ban
TOPIC: Maria Sharapova has been given a two year ban from tennis due to her use of meldonium.
She has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. What is the Court of Arbitration for Sport?
Where is it located and when was it founded? What are some of the high profile cases it has
heard?
SEARCH TERMS: Court of Arbitration for Sport
SPORTS: Sport Ban
TOPIC: Maria Sharapova has been given a two year ban from tennis due to her use of meldonium.
She has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. What is the Court of Arbitration for Sport?
Where is it located and when was it founded? What are some of the high profile cases it has
heard?
SEARCH TERMS: Court of Arbitration for Sport
SPORTS: Copa America
TOPIC: Chile has beaten Argentina for the Copa America international soccer tournament, hosted
by the U.S. What were the key plays in the final match and who were the leading players on each
team? What nations originally played in this tournament and when and how has it expanded?
What U.S. cities hosted games in the tournament and how were they chosen?
SEARCH TERMS: Copa America AND Chile AND Argentina
SPORTS: Euro 2016
TOPIC: Portugal defeated France, the host country, in the final game of the UEFA European Championship. This tournament the number of teams in it expanded to 24 from 16. Portugal lost its star player, Cristiano Ronaldo, to an injury at the 25th minute. How did Portugal manage to win the game? During the tournament, what were the major upsets? What underdog teams attracted the most attention?
SEARCH TERMS: Portugal AND France AND Euro2016
SPORTS: Tim Duncan
TOPIC: NBA star Tim Duncan, a longtime power forward for the San Antonio Spurs, has retired. What is his nickname on the team and why? What are his career highlights, and what awards has he won?
SEARCH TERMS: Tim Duncan AND Spurs
SPORTS: MLB All-Star Game
TOPIC: The American League has defeated the National League to win the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Who were the key players for each side and what were some of the most impressive plays? When did the all-star game tradition start and how has it evolved?
SEARCH TERMS: all-star game AND baseball AND (MLB OR major league)
SPORTS: Tom Brady’s Suspension Lifted
TOPIC: A judicial ruling has lifted the 4-game suspension on New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady on the claim that he was treated unfairly in the investigation into his possibly involvement in a conspiracy to deflate footballs to illegal levels, giving him an advantage. What was the basis of the ruling and what was the reaction by the National Football League (NFL)? What had been the evidence suggesting Brady was involved in a conspiracy involving the use of deflated footballs? What milestone did he recently reach that only 3 other quarterbacks have reached?
SEARCH TERMS: Tom Brady AND Richard Berman AND suspension
SPORTS: U.S. Open
TOPIC: Serbian Novak Djokovic and Italian Flavia Pennetta have won the singles tournaments in the U.S. Open Tennis Championships. What are the major tennis strengths of each of these players and in what plays were they most displayed in this tournament? What are the other tournaments in the U.S. Open and who were the winners?
SEARCH TERMS: U.S. Open AND tennis
SPORTS: Rugby World Cup
TOPIC: The Rugby World Cup is currently underway in Britain. How many countries are contesting the prize? What teams were favored going into the tournament? What is the biggest upset so far?
SEARCH TERMS: Rugby World Cup
SPORTS: Solheim Cup Victory
TOPIC: U.S. women staged a comeback to beat the European team at golf’s Solheim Cup, played this year in Britain. What is the Solheim Cup and how is the tournament structured? How did the U.S. golfers win? What controversy may be said to have kick started them?
SEARCH TERMS: Solheim Cup
SPORTS: Criminal Investigation
TOPIC: Sepp Blatter is under investigation in Switzerland, where FIFA, the organization he runs, has its headquarters. This is a separate investigation from the one being done by the U.S. Department of Justice. What is he being investigated for? Who else is being looked at in the Swiss investigation?
SEARCH TERMS: FIFA AND Sepp Blatter AND investigations
SPORTS: Los Angeles Olympic Bid
TOPIC: Los Angeles is considered a leading contender in its bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games. What are some of the factors that qualify a city to host the Olympic Games and what are Los Angeles’s strengths in the qualifying areas? What are some other cities around the world that are bidding to host the games and what qualities to they have that make them competitive?
SEARCH TERMS: Olympic AND Los Angeles AND 2024
SPORTS: World Series
TOPIC: The Kansas City Royals have defeated the New York Mets to win the 2015 World Series. What was the factor about this World Series win that had commentators comparing the Royals to the 1989 Oakland Athletics? What were the most impressive plays of the series and who were the most impressive players? What are the key strengths and weaknesses of each team, and who were the most impressive players? What are the key strengths and weaknesses of each team, and how did that show itself in the series?
SEARCH TERMS: Mets AND Royals AND World Series
SPORTS: Steve Spurrier
TOPIC: Steve Spurrier, football coach for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks is retiring at the age of 70. What distinction does he share with legendary University of Alabama football coach Bear Bryant? What are the schools where Spurrier coached, what was his record at each school and how did he make the most of the strengths and weaknesses of each team he coached? What were his strengths as a professional football player and who did he play for?
SEARCH TERMS: Steve Spurrier
SPORTS: World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
TOPIC: The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships have recently concluded in Glasgow, Scotland. They are the first of two qualifiers for the 2016 Summer Olympics. What nations competed and which national team won? Were they any breakout stars during this competition?
SEARCH TERMS: World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
SPORTS: Formula One Championship Won
TOPIC: Lewis Hamilton has won the drivers’ championship in Formula One with three races left to go. It was his second in a row and third one overall, tying him with his hero Arton Senna and with fellow British driver Sir Jackie Stewart. Where do three victories put him on the list of multiple winners? What active driver actually has more victories than Hamilton? How much of his victory is due to his team, Mercedes who have secured the Constructors’ Championship, and how much to his skill?
SEARCH TERMS: Formula One AND Lewis Hamilton
SPORTS: BCS Series
TOPIC: Oklahoma will play Clemson at the Orange Bowl and Michigan State will play Alabama at the Cotton Bowl. What is the significance of these bowl games for the college football championship game? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each of these teams?
SEARCH TERMS: Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl
SPORTS: Yachting Triumph
TOPIC: The Sydney to Hobart race that goes from Australia to Tasmania was won by a U.S. 100-foot super-maxi, Comanche. It is the first win by a U.S. yacht since 1998. Who owns the Comanche and who captained it? What is a 100-foot super-maxi? What were the weather conditions during the race and how did they impact its outcome?
SEARCH TERMS: Sidney to Hobart race AND Comanche
SPORTS: Stein Eriksen
TOPIC: Stein Eriksen was a Norwegian Olympic skier. He won the gold medal in giant slalom and was the first skier from outside the Alps to win a gold. How did his parents help foster his skills? What were some of his notable achievements in skiing? What did he do after retiring from competition?
SEARCH TERMS: Stein Eriksen AND skiing
SPORTS: Meadowlark Lemon
TOPIC: Meadowlark Lemon was a key member of the Harlem Globetrotters. Who were the Harlem Globetrotters? What were some of his key strengths as a basketball player, and what were some of his most popular moves? What did Wilt Chamberlain famously say about Lemon’s playing?
SEARCH TERMS: Meadowlark Lemon
SPORTS: Derrick Henry
TOPIC: As running back for the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide, Derrick Henry has won the 2015 Heisman Trophy. What are this key strengths? What have been some of his major college football triumphs over the past years
SEARCH TERMS: Derrick Henry AND Heisman
SPORTS: Super Bowl
TOPIC: The Denver Broncos have beaten the Carolina Panthers to win the Super Bowl. What were the key plays of the game and who were the key players? Why did this Super Bowl drop the tradition of using Roman numerals in the Super Bowl title?
SEARCH TERMS: Broncos AND Panthers AND Super Bowl
SPORTS: Daytona 500
TOPIC: Denny Hamlin has won the Daytona 500, a key race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. What have been some of the other peaks in his racing career? What are the key aspects of the Daytona International Speedway and how do drivers handle this track?
SEARCH TERMS: Daytona 500 and Denny Hamlin
SPORTS: Four Continent Figure Skating Championships
TOPIC: Canadian Patrick Chan and Japan’s Satoko Miyahara are the men’s and women’s singles winners in the Four Continent Figure Skating championships which includes the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania. What were the most impressive aspects of their skating? Who were the winners of the pair skating and ice dancing competitions and what were the most impressive aspects of their performances? What is the history of this event?
SEARCH TERMS: Four Continent Figure Skating Championships
SPORTS: Tokyo Marathon
TOPIC: Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia and Heleh Kiprop of Kenya are the winners. What are key highlights of their running careers? What is the history of this marathon, and what have been some of its most exciting races?
SEARCH TERMS: Tokyo Marathon
SPORTS: The Preakness Stakes and The Kentucky Derby
TOPIC: The racehorse Exaggerator has won the Preakness Stakes, denying his rival Nyquist, who won the Kentucky Derby, a Triple Crown win. What was the condition of the racecourse that made this race challenging and how did this work to Exaggerator’s advantage? Who are the jockeys for Exaggerator and Nyquist and what are the key skills of each one? What is a factor in Nyquist’s Kentucky Derby win that compares to Big Brown’s win in 2008?
SEARCH TERMS: Preakness AND Exaggerator
SPORTS: French Open
TOPIC: It’s time for tennis at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris as the French Open begins. What is the surface this tournament is played upon? Who are the favorites to win this year? What major player had to withdraw right before the start of the tournament? Have there been any notable upsets in the opening rounds of the tournament?
SEARCH TERMS: French Open
SPORTS: The End of the Season
TOPIC: European soccer culminated with last weekend’s UEFA Champions League Final, played in Milan and won by Real Madrid who defeated Atletico Madrid with penalty kicks after both regular time and overtime ended in a tie. This was a repeat of the 2014 league final. How often are teams from the same city in the final games of the Champions League? Who were the stars of the game? Whose penalty kick won the game for Real?
SEARCH TERMS: UEFA Champions League Final AND (Real Madrid OR Atletico Madrid)
SPORTS: Youngest Formula One Winner
TOPIC: Max Verstappen has become the youngest ever winner of a Formula One race when both Mercedes drivers, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, crashed each other out of the race on the first lap. Rosberg had won the first four races of this year and the last three of last year. And both Mercedes drivers were ahead of Verstappen when the crash occurred. How old was Verstappen when he won the Spanish Grand Prix? Who has now become the second youngest driver and what was his career like? Who was to blame for the Mercedes crash?
SEARCH TERMS: Max Verstappen AND Spanish Grand Prix
SPORTS: Rookie Indianapolis 500 Winner
TOPIC: Rookie driver Alexander Rossi has won the Indianapolis 500. Who were the other strong drives and how did each of their moves and strategies play out during the race? What are the key strengths of Rossi’s driving and what are some other successes he has had in his career?
SEARCH TERMS: Alexander Rossi AND Indianapolis 500
